Kahuta
Encyclopedia
Kahuta is a town
and tehsil
in the Rawalpindi District
of Pakistan
's Punjab Province. According to Pakistan's 2008 census, Kahuta tehsil has a population of approximately 160,000.
Kahuta is known famously for being the location of the Kahuta Research Laboratories
(KRL) where Pakistan's nuclear programme, Kahuta Project
, was initiated under Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan
.
of Pakistan
's Punjab Province, approximately 30 km southeast of Pakistan's capital, Islamabad
.
under officer
Major-General Zahid Ali Akbar
, Technical Director of Project-706
. During 1960s and 1970s, Kahuta was inhabitant by retired officers of the Pakistan Armed Forces.
In 1970s, the Ministry of Defence
was tasked by Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
to search for a remote location for performing nuclear and weapon-testing experiments for the integrated atomic project
in 1976. The residents of Kahuta were paid handsomely and were re-located in populated cities of Pakistan. The Uranium Coordination Board (UCB) headed by Ghulam Ishaq Khan
financed the reconstruction of the site. Major-General Zahid Ali Akbar and later completed the drawings, surveying and measured the area aerially
. Within the week, the whole site was acquired by the Ministry of Defence, and the army truckloads, heavy engineering vehicles arrived the next day to re-built the site. All incoming materials and research equipments were labeled as common items and engineering tools to conceal the true nature of their purpose. Scientists and engineers working and living in Kahuta were censored by the senior military officials.Soon, the site was classified and abandoned for public with only few allowed to resides. The Engineering Research Laboratories (now KRL) was established by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
as a research government national facility under the Ministry of Defence.
There are many picnic spots like Narar (Narh), Azad Pattan, Tlaitar and Beyore. The area is noted for its wildlife and hunting. Pahari-Potwari
is spoken in this region.
. In 1984, Abdul Qadeer Khan and the scientists of the Kahuta Research Laboratories allegedly claimed to have conducted a putative nuclear cold-test of an atomic weapon, independently designed by KRL under codename Kahuta-I. However, the Pakistan Atomic Scientists Federation and the Government of Pakistan dismissed the claims made by KRL.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
and tehsil
Tehsil
A Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk and Mandal, is an administrative division of some country/countries of South Asia....
in the Rawalpindi District
Rawalpindi District
Rawalpindi is a district of Pakistan in the north of the Punjab province which contains the city of Rawalpindi. The district has an area of . It was part of Rawalpindi Division, until the year 2000 when the division was abolished...
of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
's Punjab Province. According to Pakistan's 2008 census, Kahuta tehsil has a population of approximately 160,000.
Kahuta is known famously for being the location of the Kahuta Research Laboratories
Kahuta Research Laboratories
The Khan Research Laboratories ,, formerly known as Engineering Research Laboratories , is a multi-program Pakistan's weapons science and engineering research and development institute and nuclear research facility...
(KRL) where Pakistan's nuclear programme, Kahuta Project
Project-706
Project-706, also known as Project-726 or as the Kahuta Project, was a science effort codename of a project conducted during the Cold War and Russo-Afghan War whose objective was to develop Pakistan' first atomic weapon. The mainstream goal of the project was the development of an atomic bomb using...
, was initiated under Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan
Abdul Qadeer Khan
Abdul Qadeer Khan , also known in Pakistan as Mohsin-e-Pakistan , D.Eng, Sc.D, HI, NI , FPAS; more widely known as Dr. A. Q...
.
Location
Kahuta is situated in the Himalayan foothills in Rawalpindi DistrictRawalpindi District
Rawalpindi is a district of Pakistan in the north of the Punjab province which contains the city of Rawalpindi. The district has an area of . It was part of Rawalpindi Division, until the year 2000 when the division was abolished...
of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
's Punjab Province, approximately 30 km southeast of Pakistan's capital, Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
.
History
Kahuta was a small village until the 1970s when KRL was constructed by the Pakistan Army Corps of EngineersPakistan Army Corps of Engineers
The Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers, , is an active military administrative staff corps, and a major science and technology command of the Pakistan Army...
under officer
Engineer-in-Chief (Pakistan Army)
Engineer-in-Chief or E-in-C, is a Colonel Commandant of the Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers, Frontier Works Organisation and the Military Engineering Services of Pakistan...
Major-General Zahid Ali Akbar
Zahid Ali Akbar
Lieutenant-General Zahid Ali Akbar Khan , TKdt, was an engineering officer of Pakistan Army who oversaw the construction of the Generals Combatant Army Headquarter and is well-known as the director of the Kahuta Project as part of the Pakistan's acquisition of integrated atomic bomb project...
, Technical Director of Project-706
Project-706
Project-706, also known as Project-726 or as the Kahuta Project, was a science effort codename of a project conducted during the Cold War and Russo-Afghan War whose objective was to develop Pakistan' first atomic weapon. The mainstream goal of the project was the development of an atomic bomb using...
. During 1960s and 1970s, Kahuta was inhabitant by retired officers of the Pakistan Armed Forces.
In 1970s, the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (Pakistan)
The Ministry of Defence , is a federal government ministry tasked with coordinating and supervising all major government agencies and federal departments of the government relating directly to National security and the Pakistan Defense Forces...
was tasked by Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977, and prior to that, 4th President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973. Bhutto was the founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party — the largest and most influential political party in Pakistan— and served as its chairman until his...
to search for a remote location for performing nuclear and weapon-testing experiments for the integrated atomic project
Pakistan and weapons of mass destruction
Pakistan began focusing on nuclear weapons development in January 1972 under the leadership of Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, who delegated the program to the Chairman of PAEC Munir Ahmad Khan...
in 1976. The residents of Kahuta were paid handsomely and were re-located in populated cities of Pakistan. The Uranium Coordination Board (UCB) headed by Ghulam Ishaq Khan
Ghulam Ishaq Khan
Ghulam Ishaq Khan , abbreviated as GIK, was the seventh President of Pakistan from August 17, 1988 until July 18, 1993 and a career statesman from the start to the end of cold war...
financed the reconstruction of the site. Major-General Zahid Ali Akbar and later completed the drawings, surveying and measured the area aerially
Mil Mi-8
The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....
. Within the week, the whole site was acquired by the Ministry of Defence, and the army truckloads, heavy engineering vehicles arrived the next day to re-built the site. All incoming materials and research equipments were labeled as common items and engineering tools to conceal the true nature of their purpose. Scientists and engineers working and living in Kahuta were censored by the senior military officials.Soon, the site was classified and abandoned for public with only few allowed to resides. The Engineering Research Laboratories (now KRL) was established by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977, and prior to that, 4th President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973. Bhutto was the founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party — the largest and most influential political party in Pakistan— and served as its chairman until his...
as a research government national facility under the Ministry of Defence.
There are many picnic spots like Narar (Narh), Azad Pattan, Tlaitar and Beyore. The area is noted for its wildlife and hunting. Pahari-Potwari
Pothohari language
Potwari , also known as Potohari ), is a rich north Indian sub-continent dialect spoken in the Pothohar Plateau around Rawalpindi, Kahuta, Gujar Khan, Jehlum, up to Gujrat in the south and Chakwal in the West, Hazara in the north, Azad Kashmir in the east and also by Sikhs from the Pothohar...
is spoken in this region.
Kahuta in Science
Kahuta is world renowned for Khan Research Laboratories, one of the largest government national research facility. Since 1970s, Kahuta hosted an apex scientific research where experiments were performed under guidance and supervision of Dr. Abdul Qadeer KhanAbdul Qadeer Khan
Abdul Qadeer Khan , also known in Pakistan as Mohsin-e-Pakistan , D.Eng, Sc.D, HI, NI , FPAS; more widely known as Dr. A. Q...
. In 1984, Abdul Qadeer Khan and the scientists of the Kahuta Research Laboratories allegedly claimed to have conducted a putative nuclear cold-test of an atomic weapon, independently designed by KRL under codename Kahuta-I. However, the Pakistan Atomic Scientists Federation and the Government of Pakistan dismissed the claims made by KRL.