Abdul Qadeer Khan
Acting on advice from Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, Prime Minister Bhutto turned to his army chief General Zia-ul-Haq to find a capable engineering manager. In August 1976, Brig. Akbar had been well known of his involvement in the civil engineering projects with the Pakistan Army, and was approved by then-army chief General Zia-ul-Haq to be part of the clandestine atomic bomb programme. Brig. Akbar was asked with meet with Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan in this regards, and eventually complained of his military service for military engineering project but understood the nature the new assignment when he was briefed.