Islamabad,
Founder of Pakistan nuclear programme Dr. Abdul Qadeer khan has passed away at age of 85 in KRL Hospital, Islamabad on Sunday morning. His Namaz-e-Janaza will be offered at Faisal Mosque in Islamabad today.
Dr. AQ Khan’s health deteriorated Saturday night, after which he was brought to the KRL Hospital on Sunday morning in an ambulance at around 6:00 am where doctors tried to save the nuclear scientist but he breathed his last at 7:00am.
Funeral prayers of Dr. AQ Khan were offered by Professor Dr. Ahmed Ghazali at Shah Faisal Mosque, despite heavy rains in capital, large number of citizens, Cabinet members, Parliament member, bureaucrats, technocrats, defense personals attended the funeral prayers. Later Mohsin-e-Pakistan body shifted to H-8 Islamabad cemetery for burial with full scale Government protocols where he laid to rest in sighs and sobs.
Pakistan’s nuclear hero had received a number of awards including Nishan-e-Imtiaz twice and Hilal-e-Imtiaz. He was paid tribute to the nuclear scientist by saying that he played a key role in making Pakistan invincible.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed showered praise on the scientist, adding that all necessary arrangements were taken to save Dr. Qadeer’s life.
Rasheed confirmed that the government will accord a state funeral to the scientist in recognition of his services for Pakistan.
The interior minister said Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan had helped him a lot in educational activities, adding that he had remained a visionary leader in times when Pakistan was going through a sensitive time.
“He is indeed the Mohsin-e-Pakistan,” said Rasheed.
Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan became a national hero overnight, not only in Pakistan but in the Islamic world as well, when in May 1998 Pakistan gave a befitting response to India by conducting its nuclear tests.
Following the tests, Pakistan became the sole nuclear power in the Muslim world and the seventh country to possess nuclear weapons. Pakistan’s nuclear weapons have kept Indian aggression in check.
President Dr. Arif Alvi, Former chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, Asad Umer, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry and many other expressed sadness at his death in his tweet.
