LAHORE: The 20th death anniversary of Pakistan’s first Nobel prize winner Dr Abdus Salam passed away without any significant mentions on Monday. The only event in his memory is scheduled at his alma mater, the Government College University (GCU) Lahore, and that too two days later.

The great scientist passed away on November 21, 1996 in Oxford, United Kingdom but not a single ceremony has ever been organised to commemorate his death or praise his contributions in the field of science.

‘Every child should be told about Abdus Salam’

Though the federal government set up the Dr Abdus Salam Chair at GCU in 1999, the staffers have been awaiting permanent appointments since. They are usually hired on one- or two-year contracts.

Dr G Murtaza was nominated as the Salam Professor for the chair in 2000. Apart from the assistant professor, two research officers, two post doctoral fellows, one assistant and an attendant are working with the chair.

Dr Murtaza told The Express Tribune that the department had actually planned a three-day Abdus Salam symposium for November 21, 22 and 23 but it had to be put off because of the holiday announced in Lahore owing to Imam Hussain’s Chehlum.

No other mentions

Besides the GCU, no… read more at source.