Unsung heroes

In my last column I wrote about my dear friend and colleague, Badrul Islam (alias Qazi Sb). When we started work on the long-range ‘Ghauri’ ballistic missile after obtaining permission from PM Benazir Bhutto and COAS Gen A Waheed Kakar, I appointed Qazi Sb to be in charge of this important project.

A marine engineer – a highly versatile technical person – can handle a varied number of projects efficiently. Qazi Sb did an excellent job. He established a state-of-the-art assembly workshop. The motor for the missile was made by Eng Khokhar and Eng Nazir Mirza. All the electronic parts were made by Dr Javed Arshad Mirza and Eng Nasim Khan. The complete launcher was made by Brig Behram Ali Khan. Various other parts were made by Eng Khokhar and Col Qazi Rashid Ali. This team would have been capable of putting a satellite into orbit if Musharraf had allowed us to do so.

Brig Behram Ali Khan belonged to the Army EME group. He has a pleasing personality, was always well dressed and polite and cordial. He got along well with everyone. His background shone through. His illustrious father was the principal of a Government College in Lahore (now a university). Brig Behram went all out to manufacture the sophisticated equipment. He organised local production within KRL and outside production within Pakistan.

The launcher normally cost more than $4 million, but he gave it to us for less than a million. ‘Ghauri’, which we successfully launched from Tilla Range (Jhelum) on April 6, 1998 to a target 1200 km away in Balochistan, used the launcher made by Brig Behram. I would visit his section every day, view and discuss progress made and have tea with him. It was always a pleasant visit.

Brig Behram, meanwhile retired and is still mentally and physically fit, and leads a busy life in Lahore. He has a large farm near the Indian border where he grows fruit and other crops. His farm is visited by many wild animals and migratory birds, which nobody dares to shoot. He is actively supporting my efforts to build a welfare hospital for the poor in Lahore, of which the OPD is nearing completion and work on the main building has started.

Whenever I visit Lahore he moves around with me and my colleagues and they enjoy his stories about Kahuta. He enjoys playing golf and has won many trophies in Rawalpindi, where he used to play with Brig Saeed Baig and Ejaz Ahmad Mukhtar (now Chairman KRL). It is a loss to the country that the services of such efficient people as Dr Hashmi, Dr Mansoor, Brig Behram, Brig Saeed Baig and others were not utilised. No wonder the axiom: ‘A nation that does not use the talent of her intelligentsia is doomed’. It fits Pakistan perfectly!

Now something about Dr Javed Arshad Mirza. He originally came from PAEC and decided to stay on at KRL. He had a brilliant academic career, with a PhD from Scotland. Though a physicist, he was equally competent as an electronics engineer. I put him in charge of the electronics division where he displayed skills beyond everyone’s expectations.

He set up the country’s best electronics lab, created a talented team and played a very important role in achieving the goals of our project. He manufactured all the electronics needed for our plant. He, together with Eng Nasim Khan and Dr F H Hashmi, formed the country’s best electronics, control and automation team. The harmonious atmosphere and the facilities available to them paid its dividend, surprising friend and foe alike.

All my colleagues were possessed with a mission to turn Pakistan into a nuclear power as early as possible. Their zeal and determination was equal to that required for the creation of Pakistan. They were all influenced by the dismemberment of Pakistan, the ignominious defeat and surrender of the Pakistan Army and the treatment meted out to us. They were determined not to let this happen again. They saw a ray of hope in our project and trusted my guidance and leadership.

Thank God I did not fail them. Together we achieved our aims and ensured the very existence of Pakistan for all times to come. My colleagues were all highly education and motivated but lacked any experience in nuclear enrichment by centrifuge technology. I filled in that gap and together we did what had initially seemed impossible.

The team consisting of Dr Hashmi, Dr Javed Arshad Mirza, Mansoor Ahmad, Dr Ashraf Atta, Eng Nasim Khan, Brig Behram Ali Khan, Brig Qayyum, Brig Sajawal, Brig Saeed Baig, Dr Mushtaq Pathani, Brig Iftikhar, Eng Nurul Mustafa, Nasrullah Khan, Aijazi, Amin Sabir, Dr Wilayat, Dr Aitzaz Qamar, Dr Anwarul Haq, Dr Anjum Tauqir, Dr Altaf Hussain, Eng Badrul Islam, Col Qazi, Eng Khokhar, Eng Ikramul Haq Khan and many others could accept any challenge and deliver. The only person who really understood and appreciated our efforts was that great patriot and most competent bureaucrat, Ghulam Ishaq Khan. He was lucky to see his efforts and assistance bear fruit during his lifetime.

It is difficult for a lay person to imagine the electric equipment and the control and automation requirements of a uranium enrichment plant. This was flawlessly done by Dr J Arshad Mirza and Eng Nasim Khan with able input from Dr F H Hashmi. Dr Mirza was ably assisted by Mr Bhatty, Mr Khalid Mahmood, Mr Shaukat, etc. He produced the multi-layered circuit boards for the whole plant and for all the equipment needed by Eng Nasim Khan. Dr Mirza was also in charge of the shoulder-fired ‘Anza’ anti-aircraft missile project.

When the great event of May 28, 1998 took place, Dr Hashmi was the KRL team leader with Dr Mirza, Mansoor Ahmad, Eng Nasim Khan, Dr Majeed, etc. as team members.

As Dr Hashmi, my number two, was slightly older than I was, Dr Mirza was appointed as deputy chairman of KRL and later became its chairman after my retirement. He served in that post for six years and then went on to become chairman PCSIR for 3 years.

Note: The country is in the grip of a political crisis. Political leaders have pointed their guns at Geo, Jang and News. Nowhere else in the world do mature leaders blame the media. Some might agree with their policies while others don’t. Jang, Geo and News are the eyes and ears of the nation. They represent us at an international level.

Mir Khalilur Rahman and Jang played a very important role in India for the creation of Pakistan. There have been many failed efforts to buy Mir Shakilur Rahman by previous and present rulers. I am personally aware of some of these failed attempts. Our political leaders should show maturity and desist from using uncivilised language against the media. To be continued

Email: dr.a.quadeer.khan@gmail.com