Father of Pak N-bomb AQ Khan dies

Abdul Qadeer Khan, the atomic scientist known as the 'father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb' under the clandestine enrichment programme and infamous for his controversial role in nuclear proliferation, died here on Sunday after a brief illness. He was 85.

Khan, who was born in 1936 in Bhopal and migrated to Pakistan along with his family after the Partition in 1947, breathed his last at about 7.00 AM (local time) at the Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) Hospital - the medical facility named after him.

According to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan, Khan had been admitted to the KRL Hospital on August 26 after he tested positive for Covid-19. Later, he was shifted to a military hospital in Rawalpindi but was discharged after recovering from the virus.

Khan was brought to the KRL Hospital

early in the morning after he faced difficulty in breathing, Geo News reported.

Doctors said Khan's health deteriorated after bleeding in his lungs. He could not survive after his lungs collapsed.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said that all efforts were made to save his life. "The prime minister has directed to bury Dr Qadeer with full (state) honours," Rashid said, adding that the national flag Pakistan shall fly at halfmast on Sunday.

"Deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan. Had known him personally since 1982. He helped us develop nation-saving nuclear deterrence, and a grateful nation will never forget his services.," President Arif Alvi said in a post on Twitter.

Prime Minister Imran Khan said that he was "deeply saddened by the passing of Dr A Q Khan".

"He was loved by our nation bec of his critical contribution in making us a nuclear weapon state. This has provided us security against an aggressive much larger nuclear neighbour. For the people of Pakistan he was a national icon (sic)," he said in a tweet.

Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa said that Khan's contributions in making Pakistan's defence stronger were "significant", while Defence Minister Pervez Khattak said he was "deeply grieved" over his passing and called it a "great loss".