MUMBAI: Praise has come from an unlikely quarter for India's

success, although in the form of a backhanded compliment. Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan - a known India baiter - on Wednesday tweeted that India had reached Mars at a price seven times less than that of a metro bus project while

was enjoying his US visit spending $1 lakh per day of taxpayers' money.

Khan, who was born in Bhopal in undivided India, was instrumental in Pakistan's missile development programme. He has time and again stated that his country's missiles were aimed against India.In another tweet, three hours after Mangalyaan reached Mars, Khan said, "India was once a child to us in terms of technology, but corrupt politicians arrested our scientists, closed researches on US direction."Khan's Twitter account, which shows the Pakistani flag across the Indian peninsula, describes him, "A Muslim, a human being, a Pakistan lover, a person who created balance of power & stopped wars in South Asia, founder of Islamic bomb in eyes of western media."But Pakistani newspapers were more forthcoming in their compliments. The website of Pakistani newspaper 'Tribune Express' stated: "Congratulations to India. Really, we need to look at our neighbour and gauge where and how we have fallen behind."The website of 'Dawn' said: "This is an example of supreme expertise of Indian scientists and technology. Hats off to you all. We should feel proud as India has broken the superiority of the West in space."An Isro official told TOI that in the past within 48 hours post-insertion, the space agency received more than 15,000 congratulatory messages from across the country, of which 10,000 were on September 24 itself.