Nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan passed away on Sunday morning in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad at the age of 85.
Local media reports indicate that the scientist was admitted to a local hospital when his health deteriorated early morning due too lung problems.
Khan was a beloved figure in Pakistan because of his critical contribution in turning Pakistan into the first Muslim country with nuclear technology.
“Deeply saddened by the passing of Dr A Q Khan. He was loved by our nation because of his critical contribution in making us a nuclear weapon state,” Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said in a tweet, adding that “For the people of Pakistan, he was a national icon.”
Khan reached his status as a national hero in May of 1998, when Pakistan officially became a nuclear power thanks to tests conducted merely days after India’s.
The scientist then found himself at the heart of controversies, as the West accused him of leaking nuclear technology to Iran, Libya and North Korea.
Khan was under house arrest since 2004, until a court ruling in his favor set him free in 2009, however, he continued to be under heavy surveillance and was forced to report his every move to authorities.
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