Islamabad: Abdul Qadeer Khan, known as the father of Pakistan’s nuclear bomb, died at the age of 85 after being hospitalised for Covid-19. The atomic physicist was lauded as a national hero for making his country the world’s first Islamic nuclear power, but the West saw him as a dangerous renegade who smuggled knowledge to rogue regimes.
According to a state-run channel, he died after being taken to the KRL Hospital in Islamabad with lung difficulties. Khan had been taken to the same hospital after testing Covid-19 positive in August and later discharged.
President of Pakistan Arif Alvi took to his Twitter handle and expressed his grief over the demise of Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, whom he had known personally since 1982. Alvi further added that ‘he helped us develop nation-saving nuclear deterrence and a grateful nation will never forget his services.’
Khan was praised for bringing Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities up to the line with arch-rival India and for making the country’s defences impregnable. However, when he was suspected of illegally providing nuclear technology with Iran, Libya and North Korea, he found himself in hot water internationally.
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In 2004, Khan was placed under house arrest in Islamabad after admitting to operating a proliferation network in the three nations. Khan was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2006, but he recovered following surgery.
Khan’s house detention was lifted in February 2009, but his movements were closely monitored and he was escorted by officials whenever he left his home in the lush, green upscale residential area in Islamabad.
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