Z.A Bhutto wanted to make country independent, powerful: Dr Qadeer
Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was a very sincere and patriotic person and wanted to achieve something for the nation, this was stated by Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan in an interview with a private news channel (ARY news).
I never noticed the level of patriotism in anybody else which I noticed in Z.A Bhutto, he said. Z.A. Bhutto really wanted to make the country an independent, sovereign and powerful state, he added. Dr Abdul Qadeer said after May 18, 1974 when India carried out its first nuclear test, Pakistan seriously considered to work on the task.
He said, After completing my PhD, I joined the staff of the Physical Dynamics Research Laboratory (FDO) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He said, After Indian nuclear test I wrote a letter to Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to offer help with Pakistans nuclear programme. The Prime Minister was apprised that if a solid step was not taken about nuclear technology in Pakistan then Pakistan might face unbearable losses. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto called me immediately. I came to Pakistan and met the Prime Minister. I briefed him in detail and went back. When I came to Pakistan again after one year in Dec 1975, Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto asked me to examine the progress when I visited the field office in Rawalpindi, I noticed that the persons engaged were not qualified for the job. I told the Prime Minister, the actual position.
He said when Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto asked me to stay and work in Pakistan, it was not easy for me as I was living in Europe for 15 years and had good job with attractive salary package. I also had several offers there for professorship in which I was also interested but, Z.A. Bhutto convinced me to live in Pakistan in the best national interest.
He said his wife was also reluctant to settle in Pakistan as they had secure and bright future in Europe. I told my wife that without me, no one else can fulfill the task for Pakistan so my Dutch wife got convinced and decided to stay here.
Initially, we were given a small house which was without any facility. I did not demand any financial benefit and started the work on the assignment with few colleagues. After six months period I got Rs 3000 as salary. He said initially he confronted a lot of problems. He was posted as advisor Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) which was working under the leadership of Munir Ahmed Khan. After some months work, out of frustration, I wrote a letter to the Prime Minister and used hard words against Chairman PAEC as he was not competent and qualified. The PM called me for a meeting in Lahore. I went and told the whole story. The next day, he said, he was offered the chairmanship but he considered the appointment would send a wrong message abroad and disagreed with the proposal. But I told that I just want a free hand.
Dr. Abdul Qadeer said, the Prime Minister said to me that you will have full support and a board was formed which was given all the powers of the Prime Minister. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was on very fast pace, he added. Narrating the story of Pakistans nuclear bomb, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan said after visiting several areas across the country, Kahuta was selected as it was most suitable and safest site to construct a facility for the purpose, he added. To a question he said, nobody ever knew till 1979 that Pakistan was working on nuclear technology. To another question Dr Qadeer Khan said, I had told Gen. Zia ul Haq that execution of Z.A. Bhutto would have drawbacks. I tried my level best to save Z.A. Bhutto, he said adding when he was hanged I was really in great pain and anguish.
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