Key Takeaways
- Pakistan's team won three Bronze Medals at the 56th International Physics Olympiad.
- The students were selected through the National Science Talent Contest (NSTC).
- PIEAS organized intensive training camps for the participating students.
Pakistan achieved a significant milestone by winning three Bronze Medals at the 56th International Physics Olympiad, held in Bucaramanga, Colombia, from July 4 to 12, 2026. The Pakistani team was led by Prof. Dr. Muhammad Irfan and Dr. Muhammad Waseem of PIEAS (Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences).
The students who secured the Bronze Medals were Zulfiqar Ali from Government City Boys School in Dera Ghazi Khan, Ali Hamdan Alvi from FG Sir Syed College in Rawalpindi, and Daniyal Shahzad Hamid from The Science School in Islamabad. Hazza Mahmood of Aitchison College, Lahore, and Abdullah Ejaz of Siddeeq Public School, Rawalpindi, were awarded Honorable Mentions for their commendable performance.
The students were selected through the 22nd National Science Talent Contest (NSTC), a joint initiative of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and PIEAS. This contest is conducted annually in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics to identify and nurture talented students at secondary and higher secondary levels. The NSTC is held in 19 cities across Pakistan.
Following selection, the top-performing students underwent intensive residential training camps at the PIEAS campus. These camps provided advanced theoretical and experimental training from both national and international experts, preparing them for the highest international level competition. The comprehensive preparation enabled the Pakistani team to represent their country with distinction.
The STEM Careers Program Office at HEC coordinates these training activities and facilitates Pakistan’s participation in International Science Olympiads (ISOs). The Home Institutes for this program include PIEAS for Physics, NIBGE-C (PIEAS) for Biology, the HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry at the University of Karachi for Chemistry, and COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, for Mathematics.
Pakistan has been participating in the International Physics Olympiad since 2001. Since the inception of the STEM Careers Program, more than 365 Pakistani students have represented the country at these international competitions, winning a total of 144 medals. Over 5,000 students have benefited from over 256 advanced training camps conducted under this program.
The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) remains committed to nurturing young scientific talent and promoting excellence in science and technology for the country’s socio-economic development through institutions like PIEAS.
