SUNDAY TIMES ISLAMABAD :Several functions will be held to mark the birthday of the globally acclaimed nuclear scientist of Pakistan.
In 1936, Khan was born in Bhopal, India, he later migrated along with his family to Karachi.
Khan received his early education from Karachi’s DJ Science College, then in 1961, he went to Europe for higher studies and earned his PhD degree from the universities of Germany and Holland.
Dr. Abdul Qadeer approached the then Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in 1974 and informed him about his expertise in the challenging process of Uranium enrichment through which Nuclear energy is acquired.
Qadeer offered to serve Pakistan with his capabilities and Bhutto immediately asked him to return to his country.
Bhutto provided all resources to Qadeer for initiating the nuclear program and as a result, Engineering Research Laboratory was set up in Rawalpindi on July 31, 1976, which has been now named Abdul Qadeer Khan Research Laboratory.
After two years of relentless efforts, Khan was successful in his experiment of Uranium enrichment. Meanwhile, an atomic power plant was established in Kahuta where Pakistan manufactured its biggest weapon.
On May 28 1998, Pakistan carried out its first atomic bomb and enlisted itself as the first Muslim nuclear country.