LAHORE: Nuclear scientist Dr Samar Mubarakmand has been elected unopposed as president of the Old Ravians Union (ORU) after all the other candidates for the post withdrew their nominations, said a press release.
The ORU Election Committee announced Dr Mubarakmand as their new president here on Saturday at Government College University, Lahore.
ORU Honorary Secretary Dr Khalid Manzoor Butt welcomed the election of the “unsung hero of nuclear Pakistan”. GCU Vice Chancellor Prof Khalid Aftab congratulated the “national hero” on his election.
Dr Mubarakmand headed the team of Pakistani scientists which conducted the country’s successful nuclear tests in Balochistan in May 1998. On that day, he was reported to have remarked: “Wherever you go and whatever ends you pursue, you must always fulfil the trust reposed in you by your nation, your parents and your alma mater,” said the press release.
Dr Mubarakmand studied at Government College for six years and did his masters in physics from the college, appearing on the Academic Roll of Honour in 1962. He served as director of the GC Nuclear Research Laboratory from 1974 to 1977. He reactivated the Cockcroft-Walton Particle Accelerator at the lab.
He is the founding chairman of the National Engineering and Scientific Commission, where he initiated the Pakistan Missile Integration Programme in 1987.
Dr Mubarakmand has been awarded Pakistan’s three highest civil honours for his contribution to Pakistan’s nuclear, missile and space programmes: the Sitarae Imtiaz (1993), Hilale Imtiaz (1998) and Nishane Imtiaz (2003). He has also won the Dr Nazir Ahmed Award and Best International Scientist 2007 Award, and is a fellow of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 14th, 2010.
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