According to local reports, Khan died in an Islamabad hospital where he was admitted after he experienced discomfort in breathing. He reportedly died due to lung problems.

Abdul Qadeer Khan, known as A. Q. Khan, was a Pakistani nuclear physicist and metallurgical engineer who is colloquially known as the “father of Pakistan's atomic weapons program”.

Though, Khan is celebrated in Pakistan for bringing balance to the South Asian region after India's nuclear tests; he is also noted for both his scientific ability and his difficult interpersonal relations.