Re: Agni-III failure shows incompetence: Samar
Salam,
In addition to what you have rightly said, please see the following:
Reference in honor of late Munir Ahmad Khan held:
This was in 2004.
ISLAMABAD: At a reference held in Islamabad Wednesday evening glowing tributes were paid to late Munir Ahmad Khan former Chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission who died four years ago in Vienna from cardiac complications.
Dr. Samar Mubarakmand Chairman of the newly created strategic production complex, Dr. N.M. Butt scientist emeritus at the PAEC and Farhatullah Babar spokesman of the Pakistan Peoples Party addressed the reference meeting held under the auspices of the Islamabad chapter of the Ravians Association.
A large number of former Ravians, as the old students of the Government College Lahore are called, attended the function held in the memory of a fellow Ravian.
*Dr. Samar Mubarkmand recalled how late Munir Ahmad Khan nurtured, guided and inspired his younger colleagues in the implementation of the nuclear programme ranging from uranium prospect ion, mining, making of uranium gas, fabrication of nuclear fuel, to the making of the nuclear device and to the selection and development of test sites in the Chaghai mountains in Baluchistan so that when the time came the actual blast could be carried out at a short notice. *
*He said that Pakistan's nuclear capability was confirmed the day in 1983 when the PAEC carried out cold nuclear tests under the guidance and stewardship of late Munir Ahmad Khan. The tests however, were not publicly announced because of the international environment of stiff sanctions against countries, which sought to acquire nuclear capability. *
Fifteen years after the development of Chagahi sites and cold nuclear tests it fell to the luck of Dr. Samar to lead the PAEC team, which blasted the bomb five years ago.
"*Munir Khan was both a visionary and a doer who planned goals and targets at least ten to fifteen years in advance and then set out in all earnestness to achieve those goals". *
Dr. Samar said that the initial work for the setting up of the Kahuta enrichment plant was also carried out under the stewardship of late Munir Ahmad Khan who selected its site and put in place the basic infrastructure of manpower, machines and materials for it.
*He said that as many as nineteen steps were involved in the making of a nuclear weapon ranging from exploration of uranium to the finished device and its trigger mechanism. *
*Dr. Samar Mubarkamand said that the technological and manpower infrastructure for eighteen out of these nineteen steps were provided by the PAEC under the leadership of Munir Ahmad Khan who led it for nearly two decades from 1971 to 1991. Today all the major key scientific organizations linked to the country's security like the PAEC, the Kahuta Research Labs and the strategic production complex were run and operated by Pakistani professionals produced by the policies of the Commission both under him and Dr. Usmani of producing indigenous trained manpower, he said. *
*Late Munir Ahmad Khan was however kept most secret the achievements of the Commission as he thought that publicity would damage the programme. After his retirement Munir Khan however realized that it was not wise to keep a very low profile as it pushed into oblivion many of those who helped make Pakistan nuclear, he said. *
Scientist emeritus Dr. N.M. Butt said that late Munir Khan was also greatly respected in the international nuclear community. That was why even after his retirement from the Commission he was invited to international meetings on issues of nuclear diplomacy and kept visiting world capitals for this purpose.
Dr. Butt who retired several years ago as the head of premier nuclear research center called PINSTECH near Islamabad is now scientist emeritus at the same institute.
N.M. Butt said that Munir Khan worked quietly away from the glare of publicity and projection and within the parameters of rules and regulations. He also quoted from the writings and speeches of important state functionaries who had worked closely with Khan on the nuclear policy and issues testifying to the impeccable integrity of the former chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission.
Dr. Butt said it was time that a full account of the PAEC's achievements and the role played by Munir Ahmad Khan was documented and made public for the benefit of the posterity.
Farhatullah Babar said that Munir Ahmad Khan played several roles in life ranging from as Chairman of the PAEC, to the informal spokesman of the third world for acquisition of nuclear technology, to the unofficial advisor ship to the government of Pakistan on science and technology and as the first president of the Ravians Islamabad which honorary office he held for nearly quarter of a century till his death.
"In all these roles, Munir Khan has been succeeded but in none has he been replaced because he was simply irreplaceable", he said.
S. Bashiruddin Mahmood the first project director of the Kahuta research laboratories and the person credited in press reports to be behind the building of indigenous nuclear reactor also attended the reference meeting.
Known to friends as SBM, Bashir last year underwent severe grueling at the hands of American and Pakistani security agencies investigating whether Osama Bin Laden had acquired nuclear weapons through clandestine means before he was finally acquitted with indelible emotional scars. Professor Dr. Ijaz H. Khawaja of the International Islamic University and Secretary General of the Ravians conducted the proceedings.
Please also see the May, 2006 Issue of Defence Journal.
Pakistan's missile program was also launched by the PAEC in 1989 with the acquistion of the M-11 missiles. Then came then vision of NDC in 1990 which was eventually established in 1993 for developing solid fueled missile technology in Pakistan.
Regards.