It was a landmark year for Pakistan at the International Science Olympiads, with students winning the country’s first-ever gold and also bringing home a bronze from two of the world’s most competitive science contests.
Abdul Raffay Paracha of Siddique Public School won the gold at the 35th International Biology Olympiad (IBO), held in the Philippines from July 20 to 27, a historic first for Pakistan.
Around the same time, Daniyal Shahzad Hamid from The Science School, Rawat, Islamabad, clinched a bronze at the 55th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) in France, held from July 17 to 25.
The national teams were sponsored by the STEM Careers Programme, a joint initiative of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS).
Students were trained and mentored by top scientists from PIEAS and its affiliated institutes.
For the IBO, the team was led by Dr Asma Imran and Dr Asma Rehman from the National Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), a PIEAS constituent institution.
Ayyan Aslam from Government College University, Lahore, earned an Honourable Mention, while Sadia Zulfiqar (Siddique Public School, Rawalpindi) and Arooj Fatima (Fusion College, Shakargarh, Narowal) also represented Pakistan.
At the IPhO, Muhammad Bilal from Sundar STEM School, Lahore, received an Honourable Mention, and Eiman Fatima from Fazaia Inter College, PAF Base Nur Khan, Rawalpindi, was awarded the prestigious Thales Solidarity Award, which includes a €5,000 grant and a one-year mentorship.
PIEAS, under the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), organises the annual National Science Talent Contest (NSTC) in four subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics. It began as the National Physics Talent Contest in 1995 and has expanded to prepare students for international contests.
Since 2001, more than 380 Pakistani students have taken part in the International Science Olympiads, winning 140 medals. Over 4,500 students have been trained through 240+ STEM training camps held across the country.
This year’s achievements reflect Pakistan’s growing focus on science education and its effort to nurture young minds for the global stage.
