Munir Ahmad Khan b. 20 May 1926 – 22 April 1999; NI HI), was a Pakistani nuclear engineer, scientist,[1][2] who served as the chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) from 1972 to 1991. He is credited along with Zulfikar Bhutto (former Prime minister), on the technical side as the "father of the Pakistan's atomic bomb project",[3] for his role in Pakistan's integrated atomic bomb project; the clandestine Cold war program developed the atomic weapons that ultimately resulted in first successful atomic bomb testing on May 1998 (see Chagai-I and Chagai-II) in Chagai Weapon-testing Laboratories; these tests are considered one of few milestones in Pakistan's history in which, the devices were developed and produced under a projective programme of which Khan served its technical director.[1][3][4]
Since 1958, Khan served as the technical adviser to the newly created PAEC, and used his position in the International Atomic Energy Agency for lobbying for country's industrial nuclear power development. He was a proponent of a arm race with India whilst remaining associated with his country's various strategic science projects for more than four decades until his death in 1999. After securing the chairmanship of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency from 1986–87, he made a strong case for Pakistan's peaceful development on nuclear energy. His notable achievements as Chairman of PAEC include the establishment of the first international physics conference in Pakistan; promoting research in physics, mathematical sciences, and science and technology in the country; the development of the nuclear fuel cycle with the setting up of the plutonium program as well as the establishment of New Laboratories reprocessing plant.[5] In 1986, he guided, assisted and later on signed the civil nuclear energy agreement with China, which led the established the C-1 reactor at the Chashma Nuclear Power Complex
Youth and early life
Munir Ahmad Khan was born in Kasur, Punjab British Province of British Indian Empire on 20 May 1926. After completing his early education in a local high school in Lahore, Khan passed the university entrance exams, and enrolled in the Department of Science of the Government College University in 1942. In 1946, Munir Ahmad Khan received his double B.Sc. degree in Physics and Mathematics from Government College University as a contemporary of the Nobel Laureate Professor Abdus Salam. During his Bachelor's education, he also won an Academic Roll of Honor, and subsequently in 1949, he earned a B.Sc. in Electrical engineering from Punjab University. From 1949–51, Khan served as an assistant professor of undergraduate mathematics at the University of Engineering and Technology (UET). In 1951, Khan travelled to the United States on a Fulbright scholarship and Rotary International Fellowship where he earned an M.S. in Electrical engineering in 1952 from North Carolina State University.[5][6][7]
Studies in United States
In 1953, Khan began post-graduate research work at the Illinois Institute of Technology which continued until 1956 during which time he also received preliminary training in atomic energy. In 1956, he was selected for the Atoms for Peace Program and participated in the Nuclear Engineering training program of the International School of Nuclear Science and Engineering (ISNSE), at the North Carolina State University and the Argonne National Laboratory, Illinois where he earned a M.Sc. in Nuclear engineering.[8][9]In 1957, he was part of the third batch of ISNSE's graduates who had specialised in reactor physics and nuclear engineering.[8] The Argonne National Laboratory were operated by the United States Atomic Energy Commission and the University of Chicago where, on 2 December 1942 a team of scientists achieved the first self-sustaining chain reaction in a nuclear reactor, which is considered to be a crucial step in the development of the first Atomic bomb.[5][8]
Early professional work
While at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Khan was elected to the Sigma-Xi, the scientific research society of America, in recognition of his research work. During his post graduate studies at IIT, he also worked briefly with Allis-Chalmers in Milwaukee, WI, and later with Commonwealth Edison Chicago, as a Systems Planning Engineer.[7] Allis-Chalmers was a sub-contractor and manufacturer of pumps and equipment for the K-25 gaseous diffusion uranium enrichment plant, at Oak Ridge, Tennessee for the Manhattan Project in World War II. When he was working with the Commonwealth Edison as a Systems Engineer, the company was building the world's first commercial nuclear power reactor. Hence, he received his practical training in atomic energy from 1954–1956 at Commonwealth Edison Manufacturing Company.[5][10]
In 1957, Khan served as a Resident Research Associate in the Nuclear Engineering Division of the
Argonne National Laboratory where he worked as a reactor design engineer on "Modifications of CP-5 Reactor." He subsequently served in the Reactor Division of the American Machine Foundry Company, AMF Atomics, where he worked on the "Thermodynamic Design of Japan Research Reactor-2" till 1958.[9]
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
While in the United States, Khan was offered to joined the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 1958, becoming a staff member in Professional Grade P-5. He served in the IAEA's Division of Nuclear Power and Reactors under the Department of Technical Operations. He was the first Asian from any developing country who was appointed at a senior technical position in the IAEA in 1958. By 1961, he was a senior officer responsible for Nuclear Power Reactor Technology and Applications, Reactor Division, IAEA, and from 1968 headed the IAEA's Reactor Engineering and Nuclear Fuel Cycle activities till 1972. He was known in the IAEA as "The Reactor Khan".[5][9]
His major responsibilities as head of IAEA's Reactor Engineering and Nuclear Fuel Cycle activities included developing and implementing programs in the field of research in reactor utilization in nuclear centers,[11] technical and economic assessment of nuclear power reactors, world survey of nuclear power plants for developing countries, construction and operating experience with nuclear stations, fast breeder reactors and nuclear desalination.[11]
As a senior IAEA staff member, Khan also organised more than 20 international technical and scientific conferences and seminars on heavy water reactors, advanced Gas Cooled Reactors, plutonium utilisation, performance of nuclear power plants, problems and prospects of introducing nuclear power in developing countries, Small and Medium Power Reactors[12] and coordination of programs for research in Theoretical Estimation of Uranium Depletion and Plutonium build-up in Power Reactors in the United States, Soviet Union, United Kingdom, France and Canada.[11] In 1961, he prepared a technical feasibility report on behalf of the IAEA on Small Power Reactor projects of the United States Atomic Energy Commission.[13] While at the IAEA, Ahmad Khan also served as Scientific Secretary to the Third and Fourth UN International Geneva Conferences on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy in 1964 and 1971 respectively.[14] He also served as Chairman of the IAEA Board of Governors from 1986–87 and was the leader of Pakistan's delegations to 19 IAEA General Conferences from 1972–90.[14] He also served as a Member of the IAEA Board of Governors for 12 years.[5][15].[3]
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