The president, who spoke at the National Seerat Conference on Saturday morning, was overwhelmed by emotions when he came to the dais and said: “I give you and the nation most important news of today as we have successfully test fired missile on 1,500 kilometres target.”

He said the missile tests had shown complete accuracy. “I salute the scientists for this great achievement and bow my head to Allah,” the president said and thrice chanted “Allah-o-Akbar”.

As Gen Musharraf saw Dr Ashfaq Khan sitting among the audience, he rose from his seat to welcome the scientist, saying that “whatever we have achieved today, it was due to him.”

During his speech, the president particularly alluded to the names of Dr A. Q. Khan and Dr Ashfaq, who, he said, were the pioneers of launching nuclear research and had seen its success as well.

He said the two (scientists) had left behind an able team in Dr Samar Mubarikmand, NESCOM chairman, Pervez Butt, chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), and Javed Arshad, chairman of the Kahuta Research Laboratories (KRL), who were continuing their work, where they had left it.

Gen Musharraf said that the nation owed thanks to those scientists, who had initiated and then supervised the activities at the research institutions.

He remarked that it was the hallmark of those research institutions that they continued their work with greatest excellence and perfection even when other institutions in the country were on the path of decline and destruction.

The audience also joined in showering tributes when someone asked the president to call Dr Ashfaq to come and sit with him.

Some enthusiasts even raised slogans in support of the scientists, the president and the country.