Pakistan: Engineer Claims to Invent Water-Fuelled Engine · Global Voices
Salman Latif

A Pakistani engineer has claimed that he can run a car on water-fuelled engine. Agha Waqar Ahmad, the proud inventor is the talk of the town these days both in the mainstream as well as the social media. He was brought to limelight as soon as he was invited to a number of prime time talk shows recently.
Pakistanis are overwhelmed by the idea of such a water kit. A number of government officials have seen a live demonstration of the kit and expressed interest in it. People are talking about converting their cars from CNG-kit to Water-kit. However there are many skeptics on the social media. Responses started trickling on Twitter and Facebook, ranging from hilarious to caustic to supportive as soon as the news went mainstream. At one point, the #WaterKit hashtag was trending at the top spot in Pakistan.
Ali Abbas Zaidi, a very well-known youth activist, tweeted:
@Ali_Abbas_Zaidi: Cannot stop laughing after watching @HamidMirGEO‘s show on #WaterKit. Peeps who slurred end of times 2012 theories are welcome to comment.
@Ali_Abbas_Zaidi: Agha Waqar has bent laws of Physics with #WaterKit Uhmm is inter-galactic travel possible, can we even bend space and time too pliss?
Nadeem F. Paracha, a renowned satirist and cultural critic, responded to whole episode in the following words:
@NadeemfParacha: So now instead of oil we'll be importing barrels of Aab-e-Zamzam? #WaterKit
It was evident that many were not very amused at the funny view of things:
@Rabaail: Every twitter bio should be changed to ‘wannabe comedian’ today, since everybody’s trying to be funny about #WaterKit.
One of the problem riddling the entire situation is that so far, none of the reputed physicists from Pakistan has personally examined the engine. Cafe Pyala puts it in these words:
@cpyala: So, the “scientists” pronouncing credibility on #WaterKit car include a biologist and a centrifuge machinist. Way to go  @HamidMirGEO
However, there were those who, despite the fact that the basic laws of physics stand contrary to this ‘invention’, wanted to give this a shot. Majyd Aziz tweeted:
@MajydAziz: MESSAGE FOR AGHA WAQAR OF #WaterKit RT @sufisal: “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”-Gandhi
Pakistan's eminent nuclear scientists, Abdul Qadeer Khan directly opposed the views of the renowned Pakistani scientist Atta-ur-Rehman on a talk show on Geo TV (Capital Talk) while at the same expressing his full support for the so-called water-engine. Commenting on this, Amjad Hakrowrote:
Rally against unannounced power outages in Pakistan. Image by Jamal Dawood. Copyright Demotix (1/8/2012).
@Amjad_Hakro: Hyper-patriot #DrAbdulQadeerKhan, has treated the #WaterKit ‘discovery’ as if it was real without examining it scientifically. #fail #LOL
While the skeptics were abundant, citing a number of other instances where people have made similar claims in the past, the supporters for the whole idea were not in small numbers either. Talha Zareef tweeted on his profile:
@TalhaZareef: My mom just told me she thinks the #WaterKit is real and that the demo can be equated to proof. I definitely think I'm adopted.
Shahid Saeed, commenting on the support of some scientists for the water-engine made the following remark:
@shahidsaeed: RIP Physics, the scientific method, rationality and basic human intelligence. Welcome WaterKit, Agha Waqar, AQ Khan, Samar Mubarikmand
It would be interesting to note here that the creator of this invention, Mr. Waqar, completely disregarded the law of conservation of energy during one of the talk shows. Majorly Profound, a particularly witty Pakistan tweep wrote:
@majorlyprofound: Thermodynamics is a Western Conspiracy spread by Liberal Fascists to keep Pakistan backward.
And that:
@majorlyprofound: The Laws of Thermodynamics have been ruled unconstitutional, against our religion and culture, and struck down. #WaterKit
Given the fact that Pakistan is going through a rather severe power crisis, it is understandable that the masses wish to believe in a ‘miracle.’ But like they say, there are no miracles. And this scam, which has been played out dozens of times in the past, seems to be gaining traction in Pakistan.