ISLAMABAD, February 7 (IslamOnline.net) - Despite a spate of shameful confession, scandals and a smear media campaign portraying Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan as someone who endangered national security by his deeds, most Pakistanis still see this disgraced nuclear scientist as a "national hero".

The pioneer of Pakistan’s nuclear program who spearheaded the development of nuclear weapons for more than three decades, admitted on public television that he has been involved in the nuclear transfers to unauthorized people.

Common Pakistanis, however, seem undeterred with these events as far as their love and affection for the Mohsin e Pakistan (National benefactor) was concerned.

Most Pakistanis simply do not believe whatever has been happening on their television screens. The confession, most Pakistanis believe, was engineered by the government to make him a scapegoat.

Dr. Khan has also begged apology from the nation for what he said was his untoward behavior which “could have endangered national security”. He absolved all the previous governments, military men and fellow scientists of the responsibility of nuclear leaks and took the blame on himself.

His confessions followed a media campaign against this one-time hero attributing blunders and scandals to him during his 30 years in service. He was dubbed a money launderer who had accounts in foreign banks and has been obliging his relatives and friends on government expense.

Even for many, the confession, however, has added to the credibility and love for the hero. “Dr. Qadeer had earlier made the bomb, now he has saved it from the clutches of foreign countries by taking the blame on himself” Sameer Khan a 27 years old bank employee said.

To him, Dr. Khan volunteered to take the blame otherwise Pakistan could have been served with international sanctions.

Others believe Dr. Khan could not have done this alone but he has been made scapegoat by the military men.

“Dr. Qadeer is under some pressure. Those who are holding him hostage forced him to say the things which he has said on TV,” said 30 years old Aslam, a resident of the capital city Islamabad.

Dr. Qadeer has been in de-facto house arrest since the investigations into the reported nuclear leaks began two months back. His house in the posh locality of E-7 sector in Islamabad is under heavy military security.

Dr. Khan is seen as a savior by ordinary Pakistanis who give full credits to Dr. Khan for making the nuclear bomb as a response to India’s nuclear weapons program.

Pakistan’s nuclear program was kicked off in 1976 in response to arch rival India’s nuclear explosions in 1974. Dr. Khan who was working in Amsterdam, was invited to come to Pakistan by the then Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who had vowed to match the Indian designs with an “Islamic bomb”.

For Anjum Khan, a salesman at a book store, Dr. Khan fell prey to the American designs who were, according to Khan, after the Pakistani scientist ever since he started the clandestine nuclear program.