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New Delhi: Pakistan Science and Technology Minister Fawad Hussain mocked India Saturday after ISRO lost contact with the Chandrayaan-2 lander minutes before its scheduled touchdown. He wasn’t the only one. The hashtag “#IndiaFailed” was trending on Twitter with many Pakistanis seeking to make fun of India even as uncertainty prevailed on the fate of the lander.

In a series of late-night tweets, Hussain questioned the wisdom of Prime Minister Narendra Modi government spending Rs 900 crore on the mission and said it was unwise to venture into unknown territory.

Surprised on Indian trolls reaction, they are abusing me as I was the one who failed their moon mission, bhai hum ne kaha tha 900 crore lagao in nalaiqoon per? Ab sabr kero aur sonah ki koshish kero #IndiaFailed — Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) September 6, 2019

Modi g is giving Bhashan on Sattelite communication as he is actually an astronaut and not politician, Lok Sabha shld ask him QS on wasting 900 crore Rs of a poor nation… https://t.co/48u0t6KatM — Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) September 6, 2019

Awwwww….. Jo kaam ata nai panga nai leitay na….. Dear “Endia” https://t.co/lp8pHUNTBZ — Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) September 6, 2019

Hussain was joined by others from the ruling party, Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and the Pakistan army.

Faisal Javed Khan, a member of the Pakistan Senate, the upper house of the country’s legislature, called it a huge waste of money and suggested the money be used to build toilets. He likened the efforts for the Moon mission to India’s “futile” attempts at “aggression, killings, genocide and violence in Kashmir because Kashmiris will get freedom”.

In another tweet, he also equated it to the outcome of the Indo-Pakistan war of 1965 — the exact result of the war, which ended with a UN-mandated ceasefire, is a matter of much debate between India and Pakistan.

SmallMen in BigOffices-endia has failed big time.They don't ve to work on the moon-They ve to work on thr Toilets 1st. Waste of huge money same as waste of Endia's #aggression, #killings, #Genocide & #Violence in Kashmir because Kashmiris will get FREEDOM insha'ALLAH #IndiaFailed — Faisal Javed Khan (@FaisalJavedKhan) September 6, 2019

Onboard equipment malfunctioned, communications equipment failed and the Chandrayaan-2 mission ended in failure on September 6, 2019. History repeats itself – Recalling September 6, 1965. #IndiaFailed #VikramLander — Faisal Javed Khan (@FaisalJavedKhan) September 7, 2019

Pakistan armed forces spokesperson Asif Ghafoor tweeted from his personal handle and questioned whether the failure will be blamed on “innocent Kashimiris of “IOJK (India- occupied Jammu and Kashmir)” or on Muslim minorities in India or on “sane anti-Hindutva voices” or on the ISI, the country’s notorious spying agency. He went on to say that the policy of Hindutva will “take u nowhere let alone the moon”.

Well done @isro

Who to blame:

1. Under siege innocent Kashmiris of IOJ&K?

2. Muslims & minorities of endia?

4. Sane anti hindituva voices of endia?

4. ISI? hindituva will take you nowhere, let alone moon.

For another stream of lies & fake claims see replies!#AnotherVirChakar — Asif Ghafoor (@peaceforchange) September 6, 2019

However, some Pakistanis questioned the progress of Pakistan’s space programme.

A glimpse into Pakistan's space program, as designed by the Science and Technology minister. Riveting. pic.twitter.com/qDFgek5qYx — Naila Inayat नायला इनायत (@nailainayat) September 7, 2019

At the last minute

In a heartbreaking moment for Indians, India lost communication with the Chandrayaan-2 lander just moments before the landing, with ISRO chief K. Sivan making the announcement early Saturday to the millions tuned in to the live telecast from the space agency’s mission centre.

“Vikram lander descent was as planned and normal performance was observed upto an altitude of 2.1 km. Subsequently, the communications from the lander to ground station was lost. The data is being analysed,” Sivan announced.

Chandrayaan-2 was India’s first attempt at landing a spacecraft on the Moon. It had hoped to follow in the footsteps of the United States, China and the erstwhile USSR — who are, so far, the only other countries to have managed the feat.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had joined ISRO scientists at the agency’s Bengaluru headquarters ahead of the landing. Following the communication breakdown, he consoled the scientists saying India was proud of their achievements.

India is proud of our scientists! They’ve given their best and have always made India proud. These are moments to be courageous, and courageous we will be! Chairman @isro gave updates on Chandrayaan-2. We remain hopeful and will continue working hard on our space programme. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 6, 2019

Also read: Chandrayaan-2 mission is not a ‘failure’, plenty of science expected from orbiter

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