Noam Chomsky, a leading intellectual of the contemporary world, has reminded Pakistan that its future lies in scientific development, and not religious superstition.
“Pakistan used to have an advanced scientific establishment, Nobel Prize laureates and so on,” he said in a virtual lecture hosted by Pakistan’s Habib University.
“Now science has virtually disappeared from the education systemChomsky, one of the world’s foremost thinkers in the last half-century, noted with a tinge of lament.
He was explicit in warning the Pakistanis that religious superstition could play havoc with its advancement prospects.
Chomsky, who has now moved to Washington state, noted that serious scientists in Pakistan have been “trying to preserve a rational educational system, which deals with the reality of the world.”
“Pakistan has no future if it’s going to live in a world of religious superstition,” the eminent philosopher said.
Respected globally for his criticism of the powerful countries including his own the United States, Chomsky also shared some deep observations on India, an archrival and South Asian neighbor of Pakistan.
With the two countries having become nuclear powers, the world has been dithering at the perilous scenario in the event of a nuclear exchange between the regional powers.
Chomsky had some sober contemplations on Pakistan and India using atomic weapons.
“The effects on the country that strikes first will be lethal. The effects on the rest of the world will also be lethal, if only from a nuclear winter which is likely to result from a major nuclear strike.”
Secondly, the environmental disaster resulting from such a nuclear exchange would be catastrophic as climate change has already hit a dangerous point.
The region housing the two countries would face severe implications in the form of drought, loss of glaciers, and paucity of water.
Regarding India’s ultranationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi he cited his inflicting a grave damage to the country’s secular democracy.
Chomsky was referring to the trampling of Muslim rights and locking down the disputed Kashmir region under the force of the state.
As the towering thinker of the time spoke, Pakistan and India remained without dialogue to address mutual complaints and accusations.
