Daily Times

Actor and anchor Fakhr-e-Alam, who made headlines last year for becoming the first Pakistani globetrotter as a pilot, came out to strongly defend the youth who was apprehended on Sunday for attempting to operate a self-made “flying device”.

A resident of Pakpattan, Muhammad Fayyaz had indigenously designed an aircraft using readily available materials and was preparing to fly it in the Rang Shah neighbourhood of Pakpattan, but the police seized his aeroplane and arrested him.

The police registered a First Information Report (FIR), according to which, Muhammad Fayyaz was apprehended for building an aircraft without a permit and ‘performing aerobatics’ in the makeshift flying machine.

Fakhr-e-Alam took to Twitter in support of Fayyaz and asked Pakistanis to draw inspiration from his story.

“This is the story you should share with the world and take pride in,” he added.

He continued in another Tweet saying, “This young man deserves our appreciation and respect. Pakistan cannot be a country where technology and innovation is punished. He should be lauded and I would like to fly with him in his homemade airplane. Anyone wants to arrest me please do I will surrender myself.”

The famed singer also urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to intervene in the matter and treat the homemade aeroplane maker as “a national asset”.

Fakhr-e-Alam also pointed out flaws in the education system of Pakistan, calling it “terrible”. He asked people to encourage others “daring to innovate or explore” in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

In a series of Tweets, the 42-year-old singer shed light on the design of Fayyaz’s “self-made flying machine”.

He said the Pakpattan man “was putting together an ultra light kind of design. I’m told he’s a labourer. Self taught about aviation. I really want to know about this amazing Pakistani.”