Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry on Saturday was called out for criticising the role of Pakistani universities in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic, as social media users said that he had other issues that needed his attention.
“Where are Pak Universities? Everywhere in the world Universities are providing a guideline to the Govts through leading research and policy papers, why Pak Unis are silent spectators?” Fawad tweeted.
Where are Pak Universities? Everywhere in the world Universities are providing guideline to the Govts through leading reserach and policy papers,why Pak Unis are silent spectators? We need to up the game…Vc’s must initiate reserach..up the game guys #coronavirusinpakistan
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 28, 2020
“In our country, the state chooses to spend more on defense spending instead,” Assistant Professor of Sociology at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) Nida Kirmani tweeted in response.
In other countries in the world the state provides sufficient resources to universities to be able to set up adequate research facilities. In our country, the state chooses to spend more on defense spending instead. Apne girebaan mein jhaanko before you start pointing fingers.
— Nida Kirmani (@nidkirm) March 28, 2020
Comedian Shehzad Ghais said that the minister’s statement was a distraction.
Quite strange of Fawad to go after universities at this time.
Wherever they can deflect blame I guess
— Shehzad Ghias Shaikh (@Shehzad89) March 28, 2020
Similarly, the general public was of the opinion that the minister should have done some work in his assigned department so that it could help the public at this difficult time.
Moron Chandrayaan pe majak udane ke time raat ko apne scientists ko jaaga ke time pe lagata to aaj ye bakwas nahi karni padti.
— Sinhrann (@sinhrann) March 28, 2020
Interestingly, Government College University (GCU) Vice Chancellor (VC) Asghar Zaidi also tweeted a response in which he posted research by GCU, pointing out that older people bear the burden of the spread of coronavirus.
Here is one piece in response to your call for research and analysis from Pakistan Universities https://t.co/oOnJhDXnBn@gcuniversitylhr
— Asghar Zaidi (@zaidia) March 28, 2020
