Spokesman Report

Islamabad: Pakistan has secured its first-ever Gold Medal in the prestigious International Science Olympiad, marking a historic achievement for the country.

Mr. Abdul Raffay Paracha of Siddique Public School won the Gold Medal for Pakistan at the 35th International Biology Olympiad (IBO) held in the Philippines from July 20 to 27.

The Pakistan team participated under the sponsorship of the STEM Careers Programme, a joint venture of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS).

The team was led by Dr. Asma Imran and Dr. Asma Rehman from the National Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), a constituent institution of PIEAS and Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission.

Ms. Ayyan Aslam from Government College University, Lahore, received an Honourable Mention, while Ms. Sadia Zulfiqar (Siddique Public School, Rawalpindi) and Mr. Arooj Fatima (Fusion College, Shakargarh, Narowal) also represented Pakistan in the competition.

PIEAS, working under the auspices of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), conducts the National Science Talent Contest (NSTC) annually in four disciplines: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics. NSTC evolved from the National Physics Talent Contest (NPTC), which began in 1995 and has been held regularly since 2003.

Pakistan has participated in the International Physics Olympiad since 2001, the International Mathematics Olympiad since 2005, and the Biology and Chemistry Olympiads since 2006.

To date, more than 380 students have represented Pakistan in International Science Olympiads, securing 140 medals, while over 4,500 students have received training through more than 240 training camps held at HEC Institutes across the country.