Prof. Abdul Qadeer Khan
After receiving his early education in Bhopal, Dr Abdul Quadeer Khan obtained the degree of
Bachelor of Science in 1960 from the University of Karachi. He went on to study in Berlin , West Germany and
achieved high competence through attending several courses in metallurgical
engineering. He obtained the degree of Master of Science (Technology ) in 1967 from Delft
Technological University of Leuven, Belgium. In 1976, he joined the Engineering Research Laboratories (ERL) in Pakistan and set up an
uranium enrichment industrial plant. As a tribute to his services to Pakistan , during May 1981 , the
then president of Pakistan, General Zia-ul-Haq renamed the Engineering Research Laboratories, Kahuta,
as, Dr Abdul Quadeer Khan Research Laboratories (KRL).
The scientific contributions of Dr Khan have been recognized in several ways. As an active scientist and
technologist, he has published more than 188 scientific research papers in international journals of high
repute. He has been editor of a large number of books on metallurgy, advanced materials and phase
transformation. His academic and scholastic activities have attracted the attention of number of western
countries where he has delivered more than 100 lectures. His work on Industrial Uranium Enrichment Plant
for peaceful application of nuclear technology has resulted in a breakthrough in the field of metallurgy
and materials science. It is entirely due to his efforts that the process of enrichment of Uranium was
successfully completed in Pakistan . This breakthrough ultimately resulted in the historic explosion of
six nuclear bombs in May 1998 . Not only this but a significant development was also made with the successful
test firing of Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles, Ghauri 1 , in April 1998 and Ghauri II in April 1999.
Dr Khan has received honorary degrees of Doctor of Science from the University of Karachi in 1993, Doctor of
Science from Baqai Medical University on (1998), Doctor of Science from Hamdard University, Karachi (1999)
and Doctor of Science from the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore in December 2000. For his
contributions in the field of science and technology, the President of Pakistan conferred upon Dr Khan the
award of Nishan-I-Imtiaz 1996 and 1998. Dr Khan is the only Pakistani to have received the highest civil
award of “Nishan-I-Imtiaz’’ twice. He is also a recipient of Hilal-I-Imtiaz.
Dr Khan is a Fellow of Kazakh National Academy of Sciences, the first Asian scientist with this honour, elected
Fellow of the Islamic Academy of Sciences and Honorary Member of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology.
He was elected unopposed to the post of President of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences in 1997-a position that he
still occupies. He is a member of many national and international professional organizations including the Pakistan
Institute of Metallurgical Engineers; Pakistan Institute of Engineers; and Institute of Central and West Asian Studies.He is a Member of the Institute of Materials, London; American Society of Metals (ASM); Canadian Institute of Metals
(CIM) and Japan Institute of Metals (JIM). Prof. A Q Khan sits on the Boards of Governors of numerous universities
and institutes. He is a Member of the Executive Committee, GIK Institute of Engineering and Technology; Member, Board
of Governors, Hamdard University; Member, Board of Governors, Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology; Member
Syndicate, Quaidi-I-Azam university, Islamabad ; and Member, Board of Governors, International Islamic University, Islamabad.
Prof. Abdul Quadeer Khan Chairman, Dr. Reserch, Laboratories,P.O.Box 502, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
