Pakistan elected IAEA member for the 21st time

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has been elected as a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors (BOG) for a two-year term (2024-26).

Pakistan was elected as member of IAEA by consensus at the 68th Session of the IAEA’s General Conference in Vienna, from the Middle East and South Asia region, for the term beginning this month. This is Pakistan’s 21st term on the IAEA’s BOG.

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi praised Pakistan membership to the IAEA at the 68^th General Conference.

Pakistan Atomic Energy Commissions’ (PAEC) Chairman Dr Raja Ali Raza Anwar stated that it was “a great pleasure for me to address a community which is keen to adopt nuclear science and technology for the socio-economic uplift of their countries.”

Grossi discussed Pakistan’s Nuclear Medicine, Oncology and Radiotherapy Institute (NORI) stating he was impressed with the facilities available at the hospital when he visited during a tour of Pakistan in 2023.

“NORI had shown impressive and exemplary progress among the Anchor Centres which is commendable,” said Grossi, later praising both the NORI Director Dr Muhammad Faheem and PAEC chairman Anwar as well as their respective staff, stating they deserve “appreciation for showing wonderful progress.”

Chairman Anwar emphasized the importance of applying nuclear technology in the health sector saying “cancer is one of the major contributors to non-communicable diseases, causing the death of 0.18 million people annually in Pakistan.”

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