By Ehsan Jabbar and Talha Mustafa – Team Publications
“When the mankind was at the darkest hour, good were weak and bad had power, Allah sent a savior from Eden tower.”
To extinguish the fire of malice flaming after the tumultuous news of Smiling Budha Nuclear test by India in 1974, there came a benefactor that arose from nowhere and took the responsibility to make Pakistan a Nuclear state.
Dr. Abdul Qadir Khan was born on 1 April 1936 in Bhopal, India (presently Madhya Pradesh). His father Abdul Ghafoor was a school teacher who once worked for the ministry of education. In 1952, he migrated from India to Pakistan due to religious violence in India.
He got his early education from D. J Science College before transferring to the University of Karachi, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Physics with concentration on Solid-State Physics. He also achieved technical education from esteemed institutions of Netherland and Germany. He also joined doctoral program in metallurgical engineering at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium.
He gained expertise in Uranium enrichment by joining Physics Dynamic Research Laboratory, an Engineering firm based in Amsterdam – a subcontractor group of physicians who were working on Uranium Enrichment plants. He met, then Prime Minister, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and persuaded him to establish a research lab for enrichment and extraction of uranium where he, with other senior scientists, learned more about centrifuge technology of fissure materials and on the production of highly enriched uranium. Pakistan’s Nuclear Program had initiated in 1972 under supervision of Dr. Munir Ahmed Khan with clandestine diktat from premier of the state Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. The plan was to reach the milestone by end of 1976. However, technological obstacles were hindering the progress of the project – in particular, substantial production of fissile material. Dr. A. Q Khan’s team continued to work with Army Corps of Engineer in isolated land in Kahuta, KPK. Despite the sanctions by America, they worked at night to be disguised from satellite view. They accomplished in making Pakistan a nuclear state on 28 May 1998 and stand eye to eye with India after Pokhran-2 tests.
For his incredible feats, he was shortly regarded as savior of Pakistan and awarded the title of Mohsin-e-Pakistan, and graced with Hilal-e-Imtiaz (1996;1999) and Nishan-e-Imtiaz (1989). His genius mind of highest caliber helped him to make the impossible possible, but he did not invent the bomb through indigenous research.
He was working as a translator in a European consortium researching a new way of uranium enrichment in Netherland. In this way, he got the chance to read the blueprints and know how the different parts required in creating an atom bomb worked and make copies of them. With agreement with government officials, supreme military leadership, and officials, the equipment was smuggled. Those who helped in this operation were jailed, killed, and arrested by different international agencies. The state disgraced this national hero just talk eye to eye and shake hands with international officials. In this, the savoir become the source of national embarrassment. The later years of his life were spent battling the state and the charges of proliferation pressed against him.
Guilty or not, in his death, he will be remembered as a source of pride for our nation who enabled us to strengthen our defense system; enabling us to face our enemies with might. May his soul rest in peace.
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