Neelo
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SUPARCO is one of Asia’s oldest space programs. It started off great with Dr. Abdus Salam being named as the first chairperson of the organization and for the most part would headed by competent people until the late 90s rolled around and then everything started going downhill.
It has since, like many other civilian departments, fallen into the hands of the military.
Few issues I have with SUPARCO
1. The name - this might work in 1961, but it’s 2023 now. A simple rebranding to “Pakistan Space Agency” or something along those lines wouldn’t hurt. But like how Pakistan is governed, the bare minimum is done.
2. Despite being publicly funded, SUPARCO’s website looks like it was created in 2000 using Netscape Composer. No updates on their website, no emphasis on updating what they are actually doing and ZERO social media presence at all. Once again sums up how Pakistan is governed - the bare minimum is done.
*For comparison, PCB didn’t even have a Twitter account or social media presence until 2015 when PSL was inaugurated by a private company which helped launch and brand both PSL and PCB to what it is today.
3. SUPARCO actually had big endeavours and I will give them credit for the work they did in the 60s, 70s and 80s. They were progressing slowly but at least they were doing something even if momentum was slow like developing satellites. Eventually I hoped Pakistan would move towards developing its first SLV or Space Launch Vehicle and offering a cheaper alternative to launch into space for other countries.
And at IDEAS 2002, a model of the TAIMUR SLV was presented. I even remember the news of this first being aired on PTV during the height of the Musharraf regime. It has since disappeared from the entire public sphere and SUPARCO even refuses to acknowledge its existence.
And here lies the question. Why?
It has since, like many other civilian departments, fallen into the hands of the military.
Few issues I have with SUPARCO
1. The name - this might work in 1961, but it’s 2023 now. A simple rebranding to “Pakistan Space Agency” or something along those lines wouldn’t hurt. But like how Pakistan is governed, the bare minimum is done.
2. Despite being publicly funded, SUPARCO’s website looks like it was created in 2000 using Netscape Composer. No updates on their website, no emphasis on updating what they are actually doing and ZERO social media presence at all. Once again sums up how Pakistan is governed - the bare minimum is done.
*For comparison, PCB didn’t even have a Twitter account or social media presence until 2015 when PSL was inaugurated by a private company which helped launch and brand both PSL and PCB to what it is today.
3. SUPARCO actually had big endeavours and I will give them credit for the work they did in the 60s, 70s and 80s. They were progressing slowly but at least they were doing something even if momentum was slow like developing satellites. Eventually I hoped Pakistan would move towards developing its first SLV or Space Launch Vehicle and offering a cheaper alternative to launch into space for other countries.
And at IDEAS 2002, a model of the TAIMUR SLV was presented. I even remember the news of this first being aired on PTV during the height of the Musharraf regime. It has since disappeared from the entire public sphere and SUPARCO even refuses to acknowledge its existence.
And here lies the question. Why?
