KARACHI: How the unsung Hero of “Youm-e-Takbeer” Muhammad Quadir Hussain, a Pakistani scientist and real inventor of centrifuge process to produce pure uranium-235 for use in atomic weapons achieved international recognition and got his invention patented in the United States of America. It was Herculean task that made him unique person in the world history of nuclear physics.    
 
In response to the directive of the President of Pakistan Muhammad Zia ul Haq, Dr. Ishfaq Ahmed the then Member Technical, by letter dated January 21, 1979 requested Muhammad Quadir Hussain to submit a technical proposal. By letter dated February 25, 1979 Muhammad Quadir Hussain stated that he may be allowed to submit the remaining part of the technical specifications personally as they pertained to matters of extreme strategic importance relevant to security and defense of Pakistan. 

The same was personally submitted to Dr. Ishfaq Ahmed on September 5, 1979 at Islamabad. This was duly admitted by him in written statement. Later, Muhammad Quadir Hussain was informed in 1980 that his detailed technical report was passed on to Dr. A.Q. Khan Research Laboratories Kahuta, where uranium-235 had been produced by this process.  Consequently, Pakistan actually used the invention to make pure uranium-235 for use in atomic weapons. Thereby, it conducted six nuclear explosions on May 28 and 30, 1998. 

The patent application by Muhammad Quadir Hussain was filed on February 24, 1987 in the United States. The application was finally rejected on July 1, 1988 and he appealed to the Board of Appeals on October 5, 1988. Thereafter, the case remained pending for over six years. 

By letter dated December 7, 1989 Muhammad Quadir Hussain’s attorney informed that he had heard nothing from the patent office. He felt that Muhammad Quadir Hussain was entitled to a U.S. Patent and didn’t understand the examiner’s reluctance to issue the patent. Further he said the subject matter was of great importance. Perhaps that was an explanation of problems in the United States. Muhammad Quadir Hussain’s attorney said in letter of March 1, 1991 that he didn’t understand why it had taken so long for the U.S. Patent Office Board of Appeals to consider Petitioner’s application. He could only presume that the difficulty was a political matter not one of scientific basis. 

At one point he was told the files were “lost”. At other times they just did not answer his questions. In fact, the patent office did not want to grant patent to Muhammad Quadir Hussain as they apparently had believed that the invention was useful solely in the utilization of special nuclear material or atomic energy in an atomic weapon. 

By letter dated June 7, 1994 attorney advised Muhammad Quadir Hussain that in a telephonic conversation with the Group director, they had been told that the patent application was allowed and the patent would issue provided the base issue fee was paid to the patent office not later than July 8, 1994. The Board rendered the decision on February 10, 1994 and allowed all of the claims in the application. By letter dated November 3, 1994, Muhammad Quadir Hussain’s attorney stated that he was closely attending to the situation so that they could not find any further cause to block the patent issue. 

However, the PTO granted patent (5,417,944) with hesitation to Muhammad Quadir Hussain on May 23, 1995. It was granted after long pending status of the allowed application. They granted the patent for the invention, as the patent granted for such invention is revoked by the statute and just compensation shall be made thereof, in accordance with the statement of the Board. 

Published in The Daily National Courier, July, 19 2024

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