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Islamabad, August 6, 2026: Speakers at a special memorial reference for the late Chairman of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), Parvez But, lauded his pivotal contribution to Pakistan’s nuclear programme, terming him a “Silent Hero”. Parvez Butt, who died last week, was acclaimed by a diverse and distinguished audience of friends, family, colleagues, and admirers at the Reference held in the federal capital, which was organized by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed. Apart from the family of Parvez Butt, former DGs of the Strategic Plans Division (SPD), which oversees the nuclear programme, as well as a large number of engineers, technicians and scientists from PAEC and people from all walks of life participated in the special memorial reference.
In his Keynote address, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed termed Parvez Butt as a dedicated and competent professional with a ‘lifelong commitment to the nuclear programme’ and said he was a “Silent Hero” in the Bomb Project since ‘he did not believe in any self-projection or publicity, given his top-quality professionalism’. Senator Mushahid Hussain said that there were 5 Builders of the Bomb Project, without whose outstanding contributions, Pakistan would never have become a nuclear power. He he lised their names: Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was the architect of the nuclear programme, President Ghulam Ishaq Khan, who was head of the committee that oversaw the building of the bomb from 1975-1993, President General Ziaul Haq, who pursued the bomb project relentlessly during his tenure, and the 2 key scientists, Dr. A. Q. Khan and Munir Ahmed Khan, the latter serving as Chairman of the PAEC for 20 years, during 1972-1992. Additionally, Senator Mushahid Hussain said there were 5 key scientists who played the pivotal role in ensuring uninterrupted execution of the decisions regarding the bomb project, including Parvez Butt and Dr. Ashfaq Ahmed, both former Chairmen of the PAEC and both were part of the team that selected the Chaghi nuclear site for the nuclear tests, way back in 1979.
In his speech, Senator Mushahid Hussain also narrated a number of interesting anecdotes. He mentioned how Foreign Minister Agha Shahi was pressurized by the Americans in October 1979 when the US Secretary of State Cyrus Vance threatened him by saying: “Mr. Foreign Minister, you are entering the Valley of Death by trying to build the bomb, which the United States will never allow”. He also mentioned another episode when US Congressman Stephen Solarz threatened Pakistan with sanctions on the nuclear programme, Chairman PAEC Munir Ahmed Khan retorted that such a policy could undermine Pakistan’s support to the US regarding the Afghan mujahideen, as a result of which the US backed off.
Senator Mushahid Hussain also referred to the remarks of India’s National Security Advisor, Shiv Shankar Menon, who complained in a speech in Delhi on August 312, 2012 that “on at least, three occasions before 1998”, the nuclear factor played a role to influence Indian policy, with Senator Mushahid Hussain adding that this changed Indian plans to launch aggression against Pakistan.
The Chairman, PAEC, Dr. Raza Ali Anwer, in his speech praised Parvez Butt as a mentor to the nuclear scientists and engineers working in PAEC and said that he was a true role model and a leader who led by example.
Eminent journalist and anchorperson, Hamid Mir said that Parvez Butt has been rightly honoured because he and his colleagues dedicated their lives to making Pakistan’s security impregnable and their contribution would be remembered in golden letters by the people of Pakistan.
The daughter of Parvez Butt, Dr. Shazdeh Butt, fondly recalled her father as a model father, a model husband and a model grandfather, who never mixed his professional work with his family life and he remained committed to both: a strong family man and a deeply committed professional.
The special memorial reference was chaired by Dr. Akram Sheikh, who was an old friend of Parvez Butt and he acclaimed the professionalism and competence and commitment of Parvez Butt to the successful building of Pakistan’s nuclear deterrent. He termed Parvez Butt as “gem of a person” adding that Pakistan owes a lot to such professionals.
The special memorial reference concluded with a vote of thanks by Senator Sitara Ayaz, Secretary of the International Parliamentarians Congress (IPC).
