NATHIAGALI: Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) Chairman Dr Raja Ali Raza Anwar on Saturday said advanced laser technologies played key roles in the recent Pakistan-India and Iran-Israel conflicts and Pakistan must focus on further developments in such advanced technologies.

`Use of science should be primarily for peace, prosperity and development, but scientific needs for modern weapons will also ensure peace by ensuring that there was no weaker side, Dr Anwar said.

He was chief guest at the closing ceremony of the 50th `International Nathiagali Summer College (INSC) on Physics and Contemporary Needs` organised by PAEC.

He said INSC was the only scientific conference around the world that was being continuously organised for the last 50 years.

The idea of INSC was floated and implemented by Nobel Laureate Dr Abdus Salam with the view to enable scientists, engineers and students fromPakistan to interact with international experts.

The INSC 2025 witnessed online and physical presence of 28 international scientists and 300 local participants including students of physics, mathematics and engineering.

Dr Anwar called upon the scientists and engineers of Pakistan to focus on latest developments related to laser technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), Quantum Computing and other advanced technologies.

The INSC is credited with nurturing young and aspiring scientists from Pakistan to attain higher learning in developed countries.

The PAEC chairman said the impact of INSC goes far beyond intellectual exchange and it had served as a launching ground for scientific initiatives helping develop high-energy physics programmes in national institutions, foster collaboration with the European Organisation of Nuclear Research (CERN), leading to Pakistan`s associate membership there.

The INSC has catalysed the national laser technology programme and establish theNational Institute of Lasers and Optronics and other successes included advancements in plasma physics, materials science, and accelerator-based technologies for cancer therapy and radioisotope production and promote research in emerging fields.

`These foundations help build future innovations,` he said and added that efficient human resource was the key to success and those countries that do not have highly trained human resource cannot utilise the potentials of their natural resources.

`This is mainly the case with Arab and African countries.

They need someone who is highly trained to exploit their natural resources,` he said.

PAEC is the flag bearer of using nuclear science and technology for peace and development in Pakistan under the initiative of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The broader contributions of PAEC in applying nuclear science and technology for national development included six nuclear power plants, supplying over 3,500 megawatts of clean electricity.In healthcare, 20 atomic energy cancer hospitals of PAEC provide advanced diagnostics and cancer treatment to nearly 80 per cent of reported patients nationwide. Many of these centres are being upgraded with cutting-edge technologies such as cyberknife.

The NORI hospital Islamabad has been designated an `anchor centre` under the IAEA`s Rays of Hope initiative.

In agriculture, PAEC has developed over 150 resilient crop varieties, improved pest control, optimised irrigation and enhancedfood preservation contributing directly to national food security, while one of its agricultureresearchunitsisalso an IAEA collaborating centre.

During the past 50 years, more than 1,100 eminent scientists and speakers, including nine Nobel Laureates, have delivered lectures at INSC and Nathiagali Summer College has hosted over 1,000 foreign scientists from more than 75 developing countries, along with over 11,000 scientists and students from Pakistani universities. However, scientists from Iran and the US did not attend the INSC 2025.