An Underrated Hero: Dr AQ Khan

The world accused him but anybody can accused anybody. He was in endeavor to make Pakistan a safe country and he never tumbled and stumbled .He faced topsy turvy situation, But this didn't push him back of his motive . Indeed, Paramount scientist of all scientists. His ethos should never be questioned.His character should never be doubted . The man was Dr A.Q Khan.

There was a time in history when India conducted its nuclear explosions named Smiling Buddha in 1974 then A.Q said “I felt that Pakistan’s security is in danger, I left everything and came back here,” he said .If I wouldn’t come back ,this country would have been shattered into pieces ,he added .He wanted to thwart India so he came to his country.

He studied in Germany, Belgium and Holland. While studying at The Netherlands ,He met with the officials of Pakistani embassy in the Hague to make them convince to build atomic bomb. They dissuaded him saying "It is hard to find a job in PAEC( Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission) as metallurgist .He again wrote a letter in 1974 which went unnoticed. Finally in 1974 Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto met AQ Khan and after listening his views Bhutto remarked " He seems to make Sense".

Dr AQ Khan faced obstacles on this tough journey of making Pakistan a Nuclear power. In 1976, he was charged with stealing blueprint for uranium centrifuge from the Netherlands working at Urenco,he was charged with in absentia in Amsterdam.Besides this, Dr A.Q Khan was accused of selling nuclear secrets illegally and He was under house arrest from 2004 till 2009. Later ,He was forced to appeared on PTV and confessed to running proliferation ring and transferring technology to Iran,North Korea and Libya. Indeed , he saved Pakistan twice . First by making Atomic Bomb and second by taking all blame of proliferation on his own.

Mirza Aslam Baig former COAS had given authorization for technology transfer to Iran, he said. In 2008, A.Q Khan blamed Benazir Bhutto and Pervez Musharraf for proliferation deals. He further accused Musharraf of waging a vendetta against him and Labelled Musharraf big boss in 2008 interview .Later Abdul Qadeer Khan mentioned that " Pakistan could have become a nuclear power as early as 1984 but Zia opposed the move. He Left lavish lifestyle in Europe for Pakistan But what Pakistani leaders have given to him? How leaders adopted a hellish behaviour against him . While asked in an interview, He commented "Not indignant with people of Pakistan but with the hypocrite leaders.

A.Q Khan once said that "nuclear scientist in our country have not been given the respect that they deserve" And we proved it right by not honoring the way he deserved. .He was previously ill and complain neither PM not any of his cabinet member inquired after his health while he was under treatment at a hospital. Not a single minister (except Sindh CM Murad Ali shah) from government attended his funeral. The only thing they done to show sympathy for the Mohsin-e- Pakistan is to tweet,tweet and mere tweet .A maxims says “if you wanted to make everyone love you?Just Die .And then People will miss you when they ll be unable to replace you”.

Only a dead nation remembers its heroes when they die. Real nations respect them when they are alive. . The man who left Europe for his country. The man who faced suffering within his country but never left it. Prefer a life in his own homeland when he was given offers by different countries. He could choose any country he wanted but he preferred to lift this country, to raise his country and to make it secure .When asked about his assets ,he replied. I donated all my wealth to Government .A.Q khan passed away. An Aeon has ended .An Epoch has ended .An Era has ended .