In a historic milestone for Pakistan, the country has won its first-ever Gold Medal at the prestigious International Science Olympiad. The remarkable achievement came at the 35th International Biology Olympiad (IBO) held in the Philippines from July 20 to 27.

Mr. Abdul Raffay Paracha, a student of Siddique Public School, secured the Gold Medal for Pakistan, making the nation proud on the global academic stage.

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

The team was led by Dr. Asma Imran and Dr. Asma Rehman, both affiliated with the National Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), a constituent institution of PIEAS and the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC).

In addition to the Gold Medal, Ms. Ayyan Aslam from Government College University, Lahore, received an Honorable Mention. Other team members included Ms. Sadia Zulfiqar (Siddique Public School, Rawalpindi) and Mr. Arooj Fatima (Fusion College, Shakargarh, Narowal), who also proudly represented Pakistan.

The Olympiad success is part of a broader national effort under the National Science Talent Contest (NSTC), organized annually by PIEAS under the PAEC umbrella. NSTC covers four key disciplines: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics. It originated from the National Physics Talent Contest (NPTC), launched in 1995 and held regularly since 2003.

Pakistan’s participation in International Science Olympiads spans decades:

• Physics Olympiad since 2001

• Mathematics Olympiad since 2005

• Biology and Chemistry Olympiads since 2006

To date, over 380 students have represented Pakistan in international competitions, securing 140 medals, while more than 4,500 students have benefited from 240+ training camps conducted at HEC institutes nationwide.

This achievement not only highlights the immense potential of Pakistani students but also reinforces the importance of continued investment in STEM education across the country.