New Delhi (Sputnik): A torrent of memes and trolling posts made their way to the Internet following Pakistan Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry's claim on Sunday that the world's biggest telescope was sent into space by his country's space agency, SUPARCO (Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission).
Participating in a prime-time TV show, the Pakistani minister revealed that he had little awareness of the fact that the world's biggest telescope — the Hubble Space Telescope — had been sent into space by the US space agency NASA.
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"… one of the ways to see is the Hubble Telescope, which is the world's biggest telescope and was sent (into space) by Suparco, which is installed in a satellite", Pakistani channel Geo News quoted Science Minister Chaudhry as saying during an interview.
"Then there are other satellites, and there are other (types of) technologies", the minister added.
Twitter user jamal.khan termed Minister Chaudhry's comment as hilarious and incredible. He even remarked that the minister was worth being sent into space by Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan.
A Pakistani journalist and writer Nasim Zehra, who hosts a prime-time current affairs talk show on Channel 24, also took to the micro-blogging platform to remind the minister that there is no collaboration between SUPARCO and NASA.
Another Twitter user said that the minister's hilarious comment is a major embarrassment even for the Pakistani prime minister and his government.
Former Senator and Defence and Political analyst Colonel (Retired) Tahir Mashhadi remarked that the minister needed to be put in the Hubble and left in space.
Junaid Daud, an academic in charge of student placements at Cummins, had some advice for the minister as he said Fawad Chaudhry needed to get his facts right, especially as he holds an important position in the Pakistani government.
Another twitter user said that Minister Chaudhry had brought shame to Pakistanis the world over with his latest faux pax.
Hubble is the first major optical telescope to be placed in space, having an unobstructed view of the universe. Scientists have used Hubble to observe the most distant stars and galaxies as well as planets in our solar system.
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Hubble's launch and deployment in April 1990 marked the most significant advance in astronomy since Galileo's telescope.
Established in 1961, the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) is the country's national space agency. It was granted the status of a commission in 1981. SUPARCO is mandated to conduct research and development in space science, space technology, and their peaceful applications in the country. It works towards developing indigenous capabilities in space technology and promoting space applications for socio-economic advancement of the country.