Father
of Pakistan’s Atomic Weapon Program
Born on 1st April 1936 in the now capital of Madya Pardesh India, Abdul Qadeer Khan migrated to Pakistan in
1952. He belonged to Yousafzai tribe of Pashtoons. Abdul
Qadeer khan graduated from University of Karachi in 1956 with Bachelor Degree
in Physics with major in solid state Physics. For the following three years he
worked as Inspector of weights and measures. He got scholarship for studying in
West Germany and departed for studying Material Science in West Berlin and
showed brilliant performance in all courses of metallurgy. He moved to
Netherlands in 1965 for obtaining Engineer’s degree in Material Technology. He pursued
his doctoral program in metallurgical engineering in Belgium. In 1972, he
joined Physics Dynamics Research Laboratory which was operating uranium
enrichment plant.
In May
1974, successful nuclear test of India "Smiling Buddha" made Abdul Qadeer Khan
think on making atomic bomb for Pakistan. Though discouraged initially, he didn’t
give up and wrote to the then Prime Minister Zulfikaar Ali Bhutto, who asked
Abdul Qadeer Kham to meet him after
running security check on him. Abdul Qadeer Khan met Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in the
presence of Ghulam Ishaq Khan and explained importance of highly enriched
uranium. This meeting proved fruitful and his objective of making bomb for
Pakistan started taking practical shape.
He needed
to learn more and was advised by Bhutto administration to go back to
Netherlands. His company got suspicious and moved him to less sensitive section,
feeling insecure in Netherlands Abdual Qadeer Khan came back. He became part of
enrichment division in 1976. His contributions were very significant towards
nuclear weapon in making. Bhutto handed over completely the enrichment division
to Abdul Qadeer Khan after sensing serious professional disagreements among scientists.
His contributions were recognized and national laboratory was renamed after him
in 1983 after President Zia ul Haq’s visit.
His
consistent efforts made his beloved homeland conduct successful nuclear test on 28th
May, 1998. Though there were many controversies of nuclear proliferation and
with his fellow scientists too but his article "Torch Bearers" in daily newspaper "The News" is a proof that he wanted
to acknowledge efforts of all who were with him in this journey. And the fact
remains that he is a national hero and grateful nation will not forget his
services for making them secure against aggressive nuclear power. May Allah
grant him highest rank in Jannah. Ameen
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