CERN Delegation Assesses Pakistan’s Progress as Associate Member

A high-ranking group from the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) conducted a visit to Pakistan between August 24 and 28. According to a statement released on Friday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the purpose was to evaluate the country’s advancement as an Associate Member of CERN.

During their stay, a team comprising five leading experts from CERN engaged with the chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) and toured several scientific and technological institutions.

These facilities included the National Centre for Physics (NCP), Heavy Mechanical Complex-3 (HMC-3), Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH), Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology (INMOL), and the National Institute for Laser and Optronics (NILOP), among other sophisticated establishments.

The primary objective of these visits was to determine the extent of Pakistan’s development in science and technology, according to the official statement.

CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, stands as the world’s foremost laboratory for particle physics and nuclear research.

Founded in Geneva by European member nations based on the principle of ‘Science for Peace’, CERN has evolved into a worldwide hub for scientific excellence, presently consisting of 25 Member States and nine Associate Members, including Pakistan.

Pakistan formally became an Associate Member of CERN on July 31, 2015, and has since been actively involved in CERN’s various projects. The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) is the primary body responsible for overseeing the collaboration between Pakistan and CERN.

“Through its Associate Membership, Pakistan has reaped considerable rewards, driving scientific knowledge, promoting technological progress, and cultivating a future cohort of scientists and engineers,” the statement concluded.