'Father of Pakistan's atomic weapons programme' Abdul Qadeer Khan dies at 85

Abdul Qadeer Khan was hailed as a 'national icon' for transforming Pakistan into the world's first Islamic nuclear power.

Khan was accused of selling nuclear secrets illegally to states including North Korea and Iran, and was put under house arrest in 2004, when he 'reportedly' confessed to the charges and was pardoned by then Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.

After years of house arrest, the nuclear scientist successfully filed a lawsuit against the Federal Government of Pakistan at the Islamabad High Court whose verdict declared his debriefing 'unconstitutional' and freed him in Feb, 2009.

Pakistan's Ministry of Interior stated that the country's national flag will fly at half-mast today.

Condoling his death, Pak Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted: "Deeply saddened by the passing of Dr A Q Khan. He was loved by our nation bec of his critical contribution in making us a nuclear weapon state."

"This has provided us security against an aggressive much larger nuclear neighbour. For the people of Pakistan he was a national icon," the Prime Minister added in his tweet.

According to local media reports, Khan has been buried in Faisal Mosque in Islamabad.