“You are a new hero, you made our defenses unattackable on a large scale.”
Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan
Dr. A.Q. Khan is the most celebrated scientist of our country, and rightfully the pride of the nation. He was born in Bhopal (India) where he got his early education. In 1952, he settled in Karachi and got admitted to the D.J. Science College from where he did his B.Sc.
Dr. A.Q. Khan got employed as inspector in a government department. As he wanted to become a notable scientist, he left his job and went to West Berlin to obtain modern education in metallurgy. In 1963, he shifted to a university in Holland where he became assistant to a professor of metallurgy. In the 1970’s, Dr. A.Q. Khan applied for a job from Europe to the Pakistan Steel Mills, but was told that he did not have experience of work. He came to Pakistan and met the then Prime Minister who extended him an invitation to set up a nuclear power plant, which he readily accepted. Since then he has been trying to develop atomic energy for our country at the Kahuta Atomic Research Centre, which he heads. [the_ad id=”17141″]The Western, Arab and Islamic press has described him as the “father of the Pakistan bomb” as he caused the successful nuclear explosions in 1998. To which he has replied that Pakistan can produce even a hydrogen bomb at a short notice.
Dr. A.Q. Khan says that we can carry out further nuclear explosions any time without conducting a test. He has used his “power” to make a bomb though he wants to put atomic energy to peaceful uses. Very frankly he says that we do not have much of petrol, readily usable wood, electricity, so why not use atomic emerge for the generation (production) of electrical energy for industrial and scientific use. He wants to have electric power plants in Pakistan on the model of the atomic reactor (KANUPP) in Karachi.
Dr. A.Q. Khan asks when the big powers like America and France are building newer atomic weapons, why do they not like us to use atomic power even for peace? He has informed us that at Chasma an atomic power plant will generate 300 megawatt of electricity.. He has offered nuclear technology to eye-specialists for the treatment of eye diseases. Under Dr. A.Q. Khan’s guidance the Kahuta Research Centre has prepared anti-aircraft, shoulder missiles, anti-tank missiles and other weapons at low cost.
This great hero of science lives a quiet life with his Dutch wife and two daughters close to Islamabad. Admittedly, he is a top world nuclear scientist. Very proudly, he considers the Kahuta research centre as his third child. And our nation considers Dr. A.Q.K. as her most glorious son. His retirement as the top nuclear scientist has left a bad (nasty) taste in the nation’s mouth.
