When the communication link between ISRO’s mission control and Chandrayaan-2 lander, Vikram, was lost, Indians took to social media to support the heartbroken ISRO team. Twitter, Instagram and Facebook were flooded with messages of solidarity with ISRO and pride in all it has achieved so far. Even as NASA lauded ISRO’s work.
But Pakistan’s federal minister for science and technology, Fawad Chaudhry, decided ‘failure’ must be called out as a failure, the truth must be spoken, no matter how bitter.
So ja Bhai moon ki bajaye Mumbai mein utar giya khilona #IndiaFailed https://t.co/RPsKXhCFCM
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) September 6, 2019
Ufff really I missed that great moment #IndiaFailed https://t.co/pxKQQABVuF
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) September 6, 2019
So, who is this great self-appointed Pakistani science expert Fawad Chaudhry?
Also read: If Pakistan wants moon landing, it needs to chase Nehru-built culture of science
Turncoat who made losing look good
When Fawad Chaudhry says India has failed, we need to take it seriously. After all, who knows more about failing?
In 2002, Chaudhry, a lawyer by training, ran as an independent candidate and got only 161 votes, while his opponent got 38,626. That was the first in a string of electoral defeats for him, no matter which party he went to.
He has, in less than two decades, tried his luck with multiple parties – All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) – and almost never won an election. In the 2013 general election, in fact, he ran independently from one seat and won a grand total of 82 votes. In 2016, he joined Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the first election he ever won was in 2018, when he secured both the National Assembly and the Punjab Assembly seats in his native district. The fact that he has been given a platform in every party and by every politician he has attacked in the past speaks less about him and more about the visionless leaders in Pakistan, say many Pakistanis.
Despite this belated electoral success, he has managed to hold on to power for almost two decades. He has been the APML’s general secretary. He was appointed as the special assistant for information and political affairs, with an MoS rank, to then PM Yousuf Raza Gilani of the PPP. He was also the special assistant on political affairs to PM Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.
Last year, he was made the PTI’s minister for information and broadcasting, a post he was evidently suited for, given his love for staying in the limelight and his feelings towards the fourth estate and its freedoms.
Soon, disagreements with Naeemul Haque, Imran Khan’s key aide, allegedly led to him being given the less prominent science and technology portfolio.
Then Chaudhry caused quite a stir when he slapped senior journalist Sami Ibrahim at a wedding ceremony.
Also read: Pakistan science minister, army PRO Asif Ghafoor troll India on Chandrayaan-2 setback
The rationalist with a twist
According to many in Pakistan, Fawad Chaudhry’s “anti-Mullah” stance comes as a breath of fresh air. Except that his idea of real scientific contribution is a moon-sighting website and app. Launched in May this year, it promises to do away with the confusion and controversy surrounding the sighting of the moon during religious festivals such as Eid.
So helpful, no? Way better than spending Rs 900 crores on a failed moon mission, I’d say.
But the clerics were unhappy with this interference in traditional, Islam-mandated moon-sighting methods.
So, when Fawad Chaudhry makes fun of India’s space programme and tells us we’ve failed, we need to stop getting our nationalist knickers in a twist and actually listen. This is coming, after all, from the guy who leads science and technology in a country that is really known for its strides in the space race.
Fawad Chaudhary claims that Hubble Space Telescope was sent into orbit by Suparco (Pakistan’s space agency) and wants to use the same technology for Moonsighting.
NASA is dead. Long live PTI. #RamadanMubarak pic.twitter.com/H2M5BKAMga
— Murtaza Ali Shah (@MurtazaViews) May 5, 2019
Also read: Indian TV media’s Chandrayaan-2 coverage: Modi, Pakistan & Deepak Chaurasia’s tinfoil suit
The great unifier
But here’s a curious thing. Fawad Chaudhry unites India and Pakistan. The way he sacrifices his own self-respect for the greater cause of cross-border solidarity and friendship is pretty inspiring. Just look at some of the responses to his statements from people on the other side of Wagah.
Fawad Chaudhry counting the money India just spent.. ? pic.twitter.com/03lpRCkMgX
— Naila Inayat नायला इनायत (@nailainayat) September 7, 2019
India, the Moon and Us
The Moon is 384,800 km from Earth and India failed at the last 2.1 km. That is a margin if 0.0005463%.
In 10 Billion Rupees they got a rover that close to the moon, we haven’t been able to make Peshawar BRT in 73 Billion Rupees yet.
(1/4)
— Muhammad Zubair (@zubairhoonmain) September 7, 2019
Look at how he is able to denude himself of all ego and izzat as he claims that Imran Khan’s chopper commute costs less than 60 bucks a kilometre – a ‘fact’ that he knows because he… googled.
Or how he cares so much for the people of Kashmir that he is even willing to appear on Arnab Goswami’s show.
Above all, look at how he takes such pride in his country. This is a man who understands the value of patriotism and celebrating your nation and homeland. This is a man who knows how to be a true nationalist.
All India wanted was Fawad Khan, and all we got is Fawad Chaudhry.
Naseeb naseeb ki baat hai, Fawad Khan ki jagah Fawad chaudhary mil gaya Rapistan ko LMFAOO XD !!
Agar ek scientist ko ek kutta troll karega, toh use bura lagega according to you.
He has roasted you obviously! The pain is palpable in the Indian ranks! lol
Yaar on seeing his Inglish I feel bad for Taare Zameen Par.. Bechara Oscar Mila hota hume.
In Taare Zameen Par part 2 Fawad Chaudhary should play the role of Ishaan
Pakistan Is basically an Islamic military-led narco-terrorist-jihadi state & a menace to peace!!
Did I Say That Pakistan Is An Islamic military-led narco-terrorist-jihadi state;))!!
Janaab Imran is a clown, Qureshi a queer, Rasheed Ahmad a green flag waving railway guard to Kashmiri terrorists, Fawad Choudhary as described in your article, Ghafoor a bewaqoof, and lastly Bajwa sahib the ringmaster to all forming a United Nation’s Court of Jesters at The Hague.
Pakistan can comment on the space technology of India cause they have a Minister of Space and Technolgy who is the size and weight of a Space Shuttle himself !! They actually don’t need to worry about finances for their space program..they can launch Fawad into space !! They might not achieve any laurels for their space technology ever but this mission of launching Fawad might bring them standing ovation!! What a sight it would be to watch him crashing back into earth cause of his thick mind and thicker frame (read body ) !!! The biggest suicide mission ( read bomber) on this planet !!!
Ask any University student they can explain about science and technology but surprisingly an illiterate made a minister of Pak. As father as a son.
And these were the guys talking about Pau-kilo .. aadaa kilo pocket based smart bombs. Their brains are in wrong place.
With 2.50 million Pakistani students opting for madrassa education no wonder this pillock Fawad Chaudhry is all what they need as their Science & Technology minister. Having this guy as their minister accurately reflects Pakistan’s priority and ambitions when it comes to science and technology. At least they’re honest and truthful there. After all, Taliban regime in Afganistan never had a science and technology minister. In that sense Pakistan looks too advanced a country though.
Hilarious!!!! Specially his last tweet. It’s a shame for many Pakistanis that they have minister of Science and Technology who claims that Pakistan produce world’s best suicide bombers :DDDD
As a minister of Science and Technology, does Fawad Chaudhry even know the first law of Newton?