Poonch University Rawalakot’s founding Vice-Chancellor and renowned scientist Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan has passed away. A wave of grief swept across the region upon his demise. The university announced a holiday in his honor.
A large number of people attended his funeral prayers. Funeral prayers were offered in Rawalpindi and his native village, after which he was laid to rest in the family graveyard in Dhar Dar Hal, Pallandri. Several prominent figures, including former President Yaqoob Khan, Anwar ul Haq, Chaudhry Shaukat, Allama Saeed Yousaf, and Aman Kashmiri, attended his funeral.
Born into a humble family, Dr. Khan rose through the ranks due to his intelligence and scientific abilities. He earned an engineering degree from Dhaka University, Bangladesh, and became one of Pakistan’s early metallurgy PhD holders. After completing his Masters in Electrical Engineering, he began his career at the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore. He later served as Vice-Chancellor at King Saud University in Saudi Arabia. Following a professorship at Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute, he served as Vice-Chancellor at the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir in Muzaffarabad.
At the request of Poonch University founder Yaqoob Khan, Dr. Khan took on the role of the institution’s first Vice-Chancellor. In a short span, he established Poonch University as a leading educational center in Azad Kashmir. After recovering from a stroke earlier, his health deteriorated again this week, leading to his passing last night. His funeral was attended by numerous individuals, including many of his former students. Former President Yaqoob Khan, Allama Saeed Yousaf, Ministers Mumtaz Hussain Khan and Faheem Rabbani, former minister Najib Naqi, Chairman JKELF Rouf Kashmiri, Public Action Committee’s Aman, and representatives from various groups paid tribute to him.