LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has decided to observe a one-day mourning on the demise of known nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan.

PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif has directed the party cadre to organise Quran and fateha recitals for Dr Khan, who had played a key role in the nuclear programme of the country.

PML-N parliamentarians, office-bearers and workers have been urged to attend the ceremonies to be organised by the party to pay tributes to the late scientist for his services for the national defence.

Jamaat-i-Islami naib emir Liaquat Baloch said he was scheduled to meet Dr Khan on Wednesday as per desire the late scientist had expressed by phone two days ago (on Friday).

He regretted that Dr Khan had to spend the last days of his life in isolation under house arrest. The JI leader accused former military dictator Gen Musharraf of putting the scientist under house arrest “without any justification”.

PPP leaders Raja Parvez Ashraf, Hassan Murtaza and Shehzad Cheema, PML-Q’s Chaudhry Shujaat, Parvez Elahi and Moonis Elahi, Tehrik-i-Istaqlal’s Rehmat Khan Wardag, Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s Khurram Nawaz Gandapur and others have also expressed their sorrow and grief on the demise of Dr Khan.

They said he was a national hero and would always be remembered for his achievements in his field.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2021