Pakistan wins first-ever gold medal in International Biology Olympiad

ISLAMABAD: In a historic achievement, Pakistan has won its first-ever Gold Medal at the prestigious International Science Olympiad.

Abdul Raffay Paracha clinched the Gold Medal for Pakistan at the 35th International Biology Olympiad (IBO) held in the Philippines from July 20 to 27.

The Pakistani team participated under the sponsorship of the STEM Careers Programme, a collaborative initiative between the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS).

The delegation was led by Dr. Asma Imran and Dr. Asma Rehman from the National Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), a PIEAS-affiliated institution under the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC).

Other members of the team also performed admirably. Ayyan Aslam, from Government College University, Lahore, received an Honourable Mention, while Sadia Zulfiqar from Rawalpindi and Arooj Fatima from Shakargarh proudly represented Pakistan in the global competition.

Meanwhile, Pakistan also earned a Bronze Medal at the 55th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO), held in France from July 17 to 25. Daniyal Shahzad Hamid, from Rawat, Islamabad, secured the Bronze Medal for the country.

In addition, Muhammad Bilal from Lahore received an Honourable Mention, and Eiman Fatima from Fazaia Inter College, Rawalpindi, was awarded the Thales Solidarity IPhO Award. The award includes a €5,000 educational grant and a one-year mentorship, aimed at promoting inclusion in science and technology.

PIEAS, under the umbrella of PAEC, annually organizes the National Science Talent Contest (NSTC) in four disciplines: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics. NSTC originated from the National Physics Talent Contest (NPTC), first launched by PIEAS in 1995 and conducted regularly since 2003.

So far, over 380 students have represented Pakistan in International Science Olympiads (ISOs), winning more than 140 medals. Additionally, over 4,500 students have received advanced scientific training through 240+ training camps conducted at HEC-designated institutes across the country.

The STEM Careers Programme aims to nurture young scientific talent at the intermediate level and prepare them for global competitions. Each year, students from 19 cities across Pakistan are screened and trained by subject-specific institutes: PIEAS for Physics, NIBGE-C for Biology, HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry (University of Karachi) for Chemistry, and COMSATS Lahore for Mathematics.

The top four to six students in each subject earn the opportunity to represent Pakistan in their respective International Science Olympiads.