CERN-Pakistan technological cooperation to expand
Pakistan Times Business & Commerce Desk

ISLAMABAD: Mutually beneficial cooperation between European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and Pakistan is to be expanded to include more areas of Science and Technology (S&T) in the coming years.

This was stated by Dr. Ishfaq Ahmad, Special Advisor on Strategic Programme to the Prime Minister here on Wednesday while speaking as chief guest at a special get-together organized by PAEC and NCP to mark the celebration of 10 years of CERN-Pakistan cooperation and to chart out new vision for the collaboration.

Being a pioneer of this technical cooperation, he traced its genesis and developmental stages which have culminated in a smooth and congenial sharing of scientific knowledge between CERN and Pakistan.

In his welcome address, Chairman Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, Parvez Butt said quality and capability of the design and fabrication facilities of PAEC could be gauged from the fact that it is supplying mechanical equipment and parts worth US $10 million to high-tech organization like CERN apart from support in software, lasers and human resources.

Mr. Butt said Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission as scientific organization has a national and international role and serving the national industry and contributing to socio-economic uplift of the country.

He said the PAEC is also providing input to international scientific organizations like CERN, IAEA, WANO, Jordan based SESAME project, Professor Abdus Salam Centre, Italy, and World Nuclear Association etc.

Chairman, PAEC said,”our desire to be a vibrant partner in international scientific endeavours springs from the fact that equal say in the international bodies is the best guarantee for world harmony. It is through participative efforts that we can bring about peace and prosperity, he added.” Prof. Dr. Riazuddin spoke on the role of National Centre for Physics towards CERN-Pakistan cooperation and mentioned the analytical and quality control work undertaken by NCP in this regard.

Dr. Diether Blechschmidt, Advisor to D.G., CERN who was here specially for deliberations aimed at giving new dimension to CERN-Pakistan cooperation, said Pakistan has a high quality human resource in Science and Technology and that is its big strength to progress.

Dr. Michel Negra, spokesperson CERN said that the scientific work being done by his organization will open a window which has never been opened.

CERN has set up laboratories which are undertaking one of the most stupendous endeavours ever made by man to study the nature and unravel its mysteries. These efforts have resulted in acquisition of useful information for well being of human being. The World Wide Web (www) is one of the fruits of research conducted at this centre, he added.●