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Abdul Qadeer Khan, the founder of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons programme who was accused of smuggling technology to Iran, North Korea and Libya, has died at 85, authorities said Sunday.
The atomic scientist, who spent the last years of his life under heavy guard, died in the capital Islamabad, where he had recently been hospitalised with Covid-19.
Khan died after being transferred to the city’s KRL Hospital with lung problems, state-run broadcaster PTV reported.
He had been admitted to the same hospital in August with Covid-19.
But after being permitted to return home several weeks ago, he was transferred back after his condition deteriorated, it said.
Khan was hailed a national hero for transforming Pakistan into the world’s first Islamic nuclear power and strengthening its clout against rival and fellow nuclear armed nation India.
But he was declared by the West a dangerous renegade for sharing technology with rogue nuclear states.
The news of his death sparked an outpouring of grief and praise for Khan’s legacy.
“Deeply saddened by the passing of Dr A Q Khan,” Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted, stressing how loved the nuclear scientist had been in Pakistan due to “his critical contribution in making us a nuclear weapon state”.
“For the people of Pakistan he was a national icon.”
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.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) October 10, 2021
The prime minister said the…
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Source : france24
