Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) formally inaugurated International Nathiagali Summer College (INSC) on Physics and Contemporary Needs here at National Centre for Physics (NCP) on Monday. Federal Minister for Planning& Development and Special Initiatives Prof. Ahsan Iqbal was the chief guest of the inaugural session.
In his address as the Chief Guest Prof. Ahsan Iqbal congratulated PAEC for consistently holding the college since 1976 without a break and remarked that same dedication, continuity in decision making and policies made the Commission a success story in all fields of national importance including nuclear energy production, cancer diagnosis & treatment, agriculture, HRD and international collaboration. The minister felicitated CERN on behalf of the government of Pakistan on celebrating 70 years of service to science and humanity. In his welcome address Chaiman PAEC Dr. Ali Raza Anwar thanked the federal minister for gracing the occasion and shared with the audience how Prof. Ahsan Iqbal always used to agree and approve funding for projects of PAEC whenever a request was made. He thanked the minister for being gracious in favour of PAEC projects of national importance.
After the inauguration ceremony, a special session on Pak- CERN collaboration was also held to celebrate 70 years of establishment of the European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN.
Ms. Charlotte Lindberg Warakaulle, Director International Relations CERN gave detailed briefing on the ‘CERN 70’ with a special focus on PAK-CERN collaboration which has completed 30 years as both signed formal agreement for cooperation in 1994. Pakistan is an associate member of CERN and has good collaboration with CERN.
At the end of the session on CERN Member Science PAEC, Dr. Masood Iqbal gave detailed presentation on PAK-CERN Collaboration with a special focus on the opportunities that Pakistan has been able to avail after becoming Associate Member of CERN on July 1, 2015. He also gave details of the contribution of Pakistani scientists, engineers and institutions at various programs of CERN and its labs.
The session on CERN 70 was the highlight of the inauguration day of INSC. PAEC has been organizing the college every year since 1976. The idea of holding the college came from the distinguished Nobel Laureate, Professor Dr. Abdus Salam who was the founding Director of the college in 1976. He always emphasized the vital need of communication, as well as for transferring and sharing scientific knowledge among the scientific community. The INSC helps scientists share knowledge and learn from each other’s experiences, an opportunity unique in the third world.
Over the years, more than 1,000 eminent scientists and speakers including eight Nobel Laureates from advanced countries have delivered lectures at INSC and shared their knowledge with more than thousand foreign scientists from over 75 developing countries besides over eleven thousand scientists from Pakistani R&D institutes and universities.
