Pakistan: Remembering Dr. Abdus Salam

By Malik Atif Mahmood Majoka

On the 21st November comes as death anniversary of undoubtedly the most influential and widely respected Pakistani scientist named Abdus Salam. The scientist belonged to a rare breed of theoretical physicists who immensely contributed towards the pool of knowledge mankind has gathered. Knowledge & wisdom is common heritage of all peoples, and scientists belong and work for common good of entire mankind. Abdus Salam was born into a lower middle class family in north western district of Jhang in undivided Punjab, son of a teacher who received education from state school, shone from very early life. He rose to unassailable levels. Salam showed great commitment to his country when he decided to come back to Pakistan after PhD to teach science at the Govt College, Lahore.

The Punjab government sponsored 1953 anti Ahmadiyya riots unfortunately forced him to flee the country. Abdus Salam always served the cause of Pakistan. He was one of the scientists behind the establishment of Pakistan atomic energy commission. He was instrumental in establishing ICTP at Trieste Italy in 1964 , where he provided opportunities for third world physicists to learn and interact with scientists of international stature. He put every effort in to persuade Pakistani & Arab rulers to allocate funds for the development of science & technology but to no avail. Salam worked with Bhutto government till his community was officially declared out of the pale of Islam through a constitutional amendment on the grounds of controversial beliefs.

Nadir of his career was when he won the most coveted Noble Prize in 1979 for his epoch making contribution towards understanding of nature at very advanced level. Salam\'s major and notable achievements include the Pati–Salam model, magnetic photon, vector meson, Grand Unified Theory, work on supersymmetry and, most importantly, electroweak theory. After his death, Salam remained one of the most influential scientists in his country. In 1998, following the country\'s nuclear tests, he got some recognition when the Government of Pakistan issued a commemorative stamp, as a part of \"Scientists of Pakistan\", to honour the services of Salam.

This unsung hero passed away on 21 Nov 1996, with him went a great ambassador of the country who made huge contribution to enhance the Pakistan’s image across the world. He would certainly live in the hearts and minds of millions for all times to come.