Anwar Ali (physicist)

Anwar Ali
Born	Lahore, Pakistan
Nationality	Pakistani
Known for	Pakistan's Nuclear Program
Scientific career
Fields	Nuclear Engineering
Institutions	Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) Kahuta Research Laboratories (KRL) Pakistan Institute of Engineering & Applied Sciences (PIEAS)

Anwar Ali (born Lahore) is a Pakistani nuclear engineer, nuclear physicist and scientist. He specialized in nuclear physics, nuclear reactor physics and thermonuclear fission. He is the research scientist at the Pakistan Institute of Engineering & Applied Sciences. He was the chairman of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission from 2006 to 2009. Anwar Ali played an important role in Pakistan's civilian nuclear program as well as military-purpose nuclear program. He is considers a one of the pioneer of the Pakistan's nuclear program. He has closely worked with both well-known Pakistani nuclear scientists dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan and Mr. Munir Ahmad Khan.

Education

Anwar Ali was educated in Lahore where he received both elementary and intermediate level education . In 1963, He attended University of Manchester, majoring in nuclear engineering with a scholarship. He then recieved his B.Sc. in nuclear engineering from there in 1967. After his B.Sc. in nuclear engineering, he came back to Pakistan where he joined Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission as a nuclear engineer. In 1968, he won PAEC scholarship and went back to United Kingdom where he attended University of London. He recieved his M.S. in nuclear physics and a M.Sc. in nuclear engineering from there. He joined University of London as a post-doctoral fellow. In 1972, he got admitted in the post-doctoral program at the university to pursue his Ph.D in nuclear engineering. However, he left his alma mater and came back to Pakistan to join country's nuclear program. However, in 1989, he was awarded his Ph.D in nuclear physics from Pakistan Institute of Engineering & Applied Sciences.

KRL Career

Ali joined KRL in 1976 as dr. A. Q. Khan took over the uranium enrichment project from PAEC. He played a key role in the procurement and setting up of vital equipment for KRL. He was responsible for the development of inertial missile delivery system at KRL. Ali closely collaborated with dr. Khan's work, mainly uranium enriched projects that were led by Khan. According to the associate press of Pakistan, Ali has had career assignments which include working at the Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), where he served as one of the directors and carried out work, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan, having “fundamental significance”—a euphemism for working on nuclear weapons at the facility.

PAEC Career and Chairman

Mr Anwar Ali, who joined PAEC as Assistant Scientific Officer in March 1967, is presently Member Technical and is the senior most scientist in PAEC. At PAEC, he worked closely with PAEC Chairman Munir Ahmad Khan in development of nuclear weapons. Anwar Ali was one of the pioneers of the PAEC's Uranium Enrichment Project-706, (Kahuta Research Labs) along with Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood. He played a key role in the procurement and setting up of vital equipment for KRL. He played an important role in PAEC's Directorate of Technical Development, which was charged with the R&D, design, manufacture and testing of nuclear weapons. In the spring of 1976, as dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan took over the project-706, Ali was transfered into KRL, where he worked closely with dr. Khan.

Ali was the one of the founding member of PAEC's Directorate of Technical Development (DTD) and the "Wah Group". He, along with Muhammad Hafeez Qureshi, designed and developed Shaheen I Missile. He also deveopled the electroic-nuclear protection devices into the missiles.

Ali is credited with the development of computer codes and ultra-precision equipment for the Pakistani nuclear program, along with playing a key role in the formative years of National Defense Complex (NDC) in developing guidance and control systems for Pakistan's solid-fuelled Shaheen-I missile, based on the Chinese M-11. He was also a senior member of the technical team of scientists and engineers who carried out the 1998 nuclear tests at the Ras Koh hills of the Chagai region.

On March 28, 2006, the Government of Pakistan announced the appointment of dr.Anwar Ali as the chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC). As PAEC Chairman, he announced that the PAEC has also promoted the utilization of nuclear technologies in other areas, such as agricultural production and for medical diagnosis and therapy. In April 2009, he completed his term and retired from PAEC. After his retirement from the commission, he joined Pakistan Institute of Engineering & Applied Sciences's engineering faculty. Currently, he is serving as a full professor of nuclear engineering at there.

Allegations of Nuclear Proliferation and Trifficking

Canadian court papers describing certain early activities in support of the Pakistani nuclear weapons procurement program note the participation of "Anwar Ali" in a 1980 smuggling operation in Canada that led to the arrest of three men. A Wall Street Journal investigation in 1984, based on court documents and interviews with Canadian officials stated:

"In July 1980, two members of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission came here in secret with a high-priority shopping list: vital parts of Pakistan’s fledgling effort to become a nuclear power. According to court records here, the two Pakistani officials/scientists who came to Canada – Anwar Ali and I.A. Bhatty – brought with them a list of parts needed for a key item embargoed by the U.S. and others, a high-frequency inverter. This exotic electrical device is used to spin a gas centrifuge at extremely high speeds to enrich uranium.

The parts were bought from manufacturers, including General Electric Co., Westinghouse Electric Corp., RCA Corp., and Motorola, Inc., by two small electrical equipment stores in Montreal, according to the court papers. Then they were repackaged and shipped on to the Pakistan".

However, none of the senior Pakistani scientists were arrested. With lack of evidences and proofs, the investigation was undergone. The judicial investigation was closed and all of three scientists were sat free, two were fined $3,000 each on a minor technical charge.

Leagcy and Fame

Dr. Anwar Ali is widely credited with the development of computer codes and ultra-precision equipment for the Pakistani nuclear program. He was the distinguished team member of PAEC Chairman Mr. Munir Ahmad Khan. He has given opportunity to work with both known nuclear scientists of Pakistan, dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan and Munir Ahmad Khan. Despite of the nuclear proliferation allegation, Anwar Ali played an important role in nuclear safety program of Pakistan. He is an avid supporter of Science and Technology in Pakistan. As PAEC Chairman, he established high-power laser physics, Fusion Laboratory, Synchrotron Light Machine and optics science institution throughout the country. As he completed his term as PAEC Chairman, He concluded:

"I must mention here that our achievements would not have been possible without the competence and commitment of the human resource of PAEC, and I take this opportunity to record my appreciations for them."

As PAEC Chairman, Ali played a crucial role in Pakistan's peaceful purpose civilian nuclear program. In an televised interview with The News International, Ali said:" Initially, we have identified six sites in different parts of the country and are looking into suitability of these sites for setting up nuclear power plant." He said " the government had given agency a target to produce 8,800 MWs through nuclear power by the year 2030. they were in touch with some friendly countries for installation of new nuclear power plants but it would be premature to say which country would be chosen for this purpose." In april, 6, 2009, Ali retire from PAEC as a Chairman and chief scientist.After his retirement he has joined Pakistan Institute of Engineering & Applied Sciences as a professor of nuclear engineering.

References and Sources

• http://cns.miis.edu/other/wmdi060504b.htm
• http://www.pakdef.info/forum/showthread.php?t=8063
• http://www.paec.gov.pk/news-archive-pakatom/na-p-mj07.htm
• http://www.paec.gov.pk/news-archive-pakatom/na-p-mj07.htm
• http://www.wmdinsights.org/I5/SA1_NewHeadOfPakistan.htm
• http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:yaTV22dWrvcJ:clic-meeting.web.cern.ch/clic-meeting/CTF3_Coordination_Mtg/MoU_Addenda/Protocole_CERN_Pakistan.pdf+awards+given+to+anwar+ali+paec&cd=8&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us