ISLAMABAD, 28 March 2005 — President Pervez Musharraf has given the green signal to manufacturing and launching Pakistan’s own advanced satellite. Sources said that Space and Upper Atmospheric Research Commission (Suparco) has been reorganized to facilitate the country’s entry into the space age on its own.
Pakistan has decided to manufacture the latest satellite version and launchers indigenously. Until now, Suparco was manufacturing weather forecast satellites.
Scientists and engineers of the commission are determined to achieve on schedule the mission of manufacturing and launching communication and surveillance satellites.
The former Chairman of Suparco, Dr. Salim Mehmud, appreciated the directives of the president regarding manufacturing and launching of a multipurpose satellite. He recalled that Suparco provided the foundation for the country’s missile program.
One of the achievements of Suparco is upgrading the Satellite Ground Receiving Station at Rawat. The station is meant to receive high-resolution images (HRI) from remote sensing satellites.
It has also put into operation the Aerospace Institute. This center has become functional for imparting post-graduate education in the field of space science and space technology. It has done feasibility studies for remote sensing satellite and communication satellite.
The organization has conducted studies on development of Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV), which would launch the proposed satellites into space. Suparco has successfully applied satellite images for survey of natural resources.
No Arms Race: Kasuri
Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmoud Kasuri has said that the US decision to supply F-16s to Pakistan will not start an arms race in the region, but on the contrary “correct the prevailing imbalance in the conventional arms between the two nuclear neighbors.”
Pakistan is only interested in maintaining minimum credible defense, he said.
Kasuri said F-16 deal had no link with Iran’s nuclear issue. He also denied that the US has attached any strings to its decision to sell the fighter jets. “There will be no limit to the purchase of aircraft and Pakistan will get the latest version of these jets,” he added.
He reiterated that Pakistan is sincere in its commitments to resolving all outstanding issues including Kashmir with India.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the US Embassy said matters regarding supply of F-16s, their cost, and financing for the purchase would be negotiated between the Pakistani and US governments.
The spokesperson said the number of aircraft ranged from 18 to 24 and financing for their purchase could be done from the $3 billion aid package, containing $1.5 billion military assistance, announced by President George W. Bush for Pakistan during Musharraf’s visit to America in June 2003.
