Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhary has said that his ministry will release new lunar calendar before 15th of Ramazan (21st ) for the next five years to fix the moon sighting issue.
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, the minister said that he respects Mufti Muneeb and other religious scholars but the people in the moon sighting committee are unable to see things in front of them, let aside seeing moon which is totally a scientific matter.
Chaudhary claimed that his ministry will send first Pakistani into space by 2022 for which arrangements are under way. The minister said that after devising the lunar calendar, his ministry will get approval from the federal cabinet in this regard.
He said that telescope is 100 years old technology but insisting to hold a meeting on moon sighting is not appropriate. He said that the government has installed latest telescope in Quetta, adding that prayer timings are linked with sun's movement and everybody before offering prayers is using watches to see the time and not the sun.
He said that the successive governments in past wasted almost Rs 35-40 billion but didn't come up with sold projects in the field of science and technology. Chaudhary said that his ministry has reduced advertisement expenditures by almost Rs 1 billion and is trying to further cut advertisement expenditure by 70 percent.
Chaudhry further said his ministry has three universities that will be tasked to prepare curriculum for science students of schools and colleges, adding that university of emerging sciences will be set up with Chinese help at Prime Minister House Islamabad.
He said that Media University will now be established as a department at National University of Technology (NUTECH). He said Pakistan is also endeavouring to conquer the space and first astronaut will be launched by 2022. The minister announced to observe August as the month of Science and Technology.
He said an international science conference will also be arranged on 31st of August this year, where scientists of repute will be invited to participate.
He said his ministry is going to solarise the building of Prime Minister Secretariat while 30 towns will be selected for the provision of clean drinking water. He said 16 towns will be selected for generating energy from waste.
Chaudhry said Pakistan Halal Authority has become functional, which will help increase Pakistan's exports.
The minister said five years lunar calendar would be prepared within next two weeks.
He said moon was being sighted by old technology of microscopes, adding now it would be seen through modern technology to eliminate differences among the Muslims on the issue.