'Five-year lunar calendar to be finalised before 15th Ramadan'

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Fawad Chaudhry, on Wednesday said that the lunar calendar for next five years will be prepared before 15th Ramadan, however, the cabinet is fully authorised for its acceptance and rejection, ARY News reported.

While addressing a press conference, Chaudhry said that reformations were also introduced in the information ministry and directives were issued to provide equal air time to opposition parties on state television.

The federal minister said that he, as the minister for information, had attempted to bring a transparent system for distribution of government ads and it bears fruit. He said that the ministry had saved Rs1 billion expenditures of the government.

Read More: Fawad Chaudhry forms committee to finalize lunar calendar for next five years

Chaudhry said, “All clerics are respectable for us but we will try to increase our reliance on science and modern technologies.”

Taking a jibe at Reut-e-Hilal committee members, he said, “Those, who cannot even watch the person sitting next to him, are attempting to witness crescent. Is moon sighting only from a 100-year-old telescope ‘Halal’ and usage of modern telescope ‘Haraam’?”

The minister detailed that three universities are working under the Ministry of Science and Technology. He announced that modern labs will be constructed for the students from 9th Grade to 12th Grade besides modernisation of the curriculum. A separate programme will also be initiated for girls having interest in science-related studies, he said.

Read More: Fawad Chaudhry suggests modern technology to end ‘Ruet-e-Hilal’ disputes

Chaudhry said that Pakistan’s first astronaut will be sent to airspace in 2022 and the country will beat India in the field of space as well. The minister said that the government will observe August as the month of science and technology. He added that inventions of Pakistanis will be showcased in the month across the country.

He announced, “We are going to shift Prime Minister Secretariat to solar energy. 30 villages will be provided with clean drinking water. Laboratories will be upgraded and Hilal Authority will be made functional.”