Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan given state funeral at Faisal Mosque

ISLAMABAD: Nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan was accorded a state funeral at Islamabad’s Faisal Mosque Sunday afternoon.

Thousands of people, including civil and military officials, attended his funeral prayers.

The casket carrying the national icon’s body was draped in a Pakistani flag. He was laid to rest at the capital’s Sector H-8 graveyard.

Called as Mohsin-e-Pakistan, Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan departed for his eternal abode this morning after his health declined and he was shifted to ventilator support.

The family of the iconic nuclear physicist confirmed the passing, saying he had been in a very critical health condition and was shifted to the ICU. After contracting COVID earlier, Khan had recovered but since last night his health suddenly deteriorated and he was shifted to KRL Hospital’s ICU.

A look into his profile

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.