Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan remembered

MQM-P postpones rally as condolences pour in, alma mater pays tribute

HYDERABAD:

Tributes poured in from across the province at the demise of nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan at the age of 85 on Sunday morning.

The national flag at the Sindh Assembly Building was lowered to half mast and condolence references were organised by different varsities and organisations.

 Sindh Governor Imran Ismail and Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah expressed their grief and sorrow over the death of Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan.

 In separate condolence messages issued here, they said the services of late Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan would always be remembered.

They said that the deceased scientist was the assets of the nation. They also prayed to Allah Almighty to grant him higher ranks in the paradise (Jannah).

 Lawmakers, leaders of political parties including Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaaf, Awami National Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Jamaat-e-Islami, Paksarzammen Party, Sunni Tehreek, Pasbaan and members of the civil society expressed their condolences in their respective press statements.

Rally postponed
 

In Hyderabad, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQMP) postponed its protest rally against the Pakistan Peoples Party-led Sindh government for a third consecutive time hours before it was scheduled to start due to the demise of Dr Khan. The rally was turned into a symbolic Namaz-e-Janaza for Khan instead.

The party announced that it will hold another symbolic Namaz-e-Janaza in Karachi at M A Jinnah road on October 11.

Speaking to the media at the stage set for the rally on station road, MQM-P' convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said a rally against the injustices being meted out to the urban centres of Sindh specially during the last 13 years was supposed to be held on Sunday. But, he added, it turned into a national day of mourning due to the death of Dr Khan.

 He said Khan belonged to the same ethnic group whose people were supposed to take part in the protest rally.

 "Have we not fulfilled the promise in the form of Dr Khan that our elders created Pakistan and we will save it," he asked.

Siddiqui demanded that monuments should be created in the name of Khan. The MQM-P leader questioned the state of Pakistan that would it not give due honour to Khan after his death like the way he spent the last decades of his life? He said Khan's untiring efforts gave Pakistan its nuclear weapons.

"The man who guaranteed security for the coming generations of Pakistan is not amongst us today," he sobbed.

 Siddiqui urged all political parties to organise symbolic prayers for the late scientist and announced that his party's offices will also hold symbolic prayers. Amir Khan, Kunwar Navid Jameel, Waseem Akhtar and other leaders were present on the occasion.

 Alma mater

 Dr Khan was deeply attached to his alma mater and frequently visited the DJ Science College.

 In one instance, he offered to renovate the principal's office at his own expense as a gift to the college.

After Dr Khan's contribution, the room was set up with a large meeting table, a bookshelf, the principal's chair and seating for visitors.

 On freshly painted walls, Dr Khan hung the portraits of all former principals, marking the year and duration of their respective appointments. Dr Khan's own portrait was also put on display in the office, below which the nuclear scientist wrote, "I am proud to be a Pakistani and a student of the DJ Science College".

Another donation from Dr Khan led to the construction of a special block in the college compound, which housed eight classrooms.

This block was inaugurated in 2002 and named after the nuclear scientist. Recalling his fondness for DJ Science College, Naib Qasid Shabbir Khan, said Dr Khan visited the college several times.

The DJ Science College community also held Dr Khan in high regard. Speaking to The Express Tribune, the current watchman of the college, Abdul Haq, said that he joined the college in 2006.

 Over the past decade and a half Haq saw Dr Khan multiple times and built a fond relationship with him. Meanwhile, Mehr Mangi, the current president of the college expressed deep sorrow at Dr Khan's demise.

"Thanks to his services, Pakistan became invincible and the enemy's desire to harm Pakistan became unthinkable," said Mangi, adding that Dr Khan was a great asset to the country.

Similarly, KU Vice Chancellor Dr Khalid Maqbool Iraqi and Dr AQ Khan Institute of Biology and Genetic Engineering's Professor Abid Azhar paid tribute to the services of Dr Khan. Dr Khan was not only the architect of Pakistan's nuclear programme but also a great man, a promoter of education and an inspiration for all, said Dr Iraqi.

Prof Azhar said Dr Khan will be loved, respected and revered as one of the most talented scientists Pakistan has ever produced. The varsity will hold a Quran Khawani followed by a condolence reference at 9am today (Monday)