Pride of Pakistan

Referred to as Mohsin-e-Pakistan, Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan (1936-2021) was truly a patriot. Being the chief architect of Pakistan’s nuclear programme, Dr. Khan made the defence of the country impregnable, making it a nuclear power nation. He was also the leading figure behind Pakistan's various defence development programmes. A hero to the nation, Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, at the age of 85, passed away in Islamabad on October 10, 2021.

After the Partition of the Subcontinent, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan moved to Pakistan in 1952. In 1960 he completed his graduation in Metallurgy from the University of Karachi and then pursued Master's and Doctoral studies in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. In September, 1974, Dr. Khan wrote a letter to the then Prime Minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, offering his assistance in the making of an atomic bomb. In the letter, Dr. Khan put forward his suggestions to resort to uranium, in place of plutonium, in the making of the nuclear bomb.

A firm believer in the founding ideology of Pakistan, Dr. Khan always took pride in major works done by great Muslim scientists of the yore and worked hard to put in place Pakistan's nuclear programme to balance the power equation between Pakistan and India, an already nuclear-powered country.

Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan initially worked with the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC). In mid-1976, Dr. Khan established the Engineering Research Laboratory or the ERL to develop and enhance the country's uranium-enrichment capability. In May, 1981, the laboratory was rechristened as the Khan Research Laboratory or the KRL.

There can be no doubt that on the issue of nuclear proliferation, Dr. Khan was scapegoated as part of an international conspiracy to stop him from making further contributions to Pakistan's defence development and enhancement. If his services were fully utilized, we would have been far ahead in the field of science and technology. Dr. Khan is also credited for setting up several health and educational centres.

"Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan had helped him a lot in educational activities, proclaiming that he had remained a visionary leader in times when Pakistan was going through a sensitive time, " says Sheikh Rasheed, the Interior Minister of Pakistan.

In recognition of Dr. Khan's lifelong contributions and services to the country, the Government of Pakistan accorded him a state funeral and was buried in Faisal Mosque in Islamabad.

On his sad demise, Prime Minister Imran Khan said, "Dr. Khan was loved by the Pakistani nation because of his loyalty-based contribution in making Pakistan a Nuclear Weapon State."

"He has provided us security against an aggressive and much larger nuclear neighbour. For the people of Pakistan he was a national icon," according to the PM.

Dr Khan was the first Pakistani who was awarded three Presidential Awards, namely the Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Crescent of Excellence) and the Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Order of Excellence) twice. The entire nation will always remain heavily indebted to him. Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan was indeed the pride of the nation. May his soul rest in peace!