Vienna, 30 September 2022 (TDI): The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has granted Pakistan’s National Institute of Safety and Security (NISAS) the status of Collaborating Center in the field of Nuclear Security.
The IAEA accorded the NISAS of the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) the status of a collaborating center during a signing ceremony at the IAEA Headquarters.
Faizan Mansoor, Chairman of the PNRA, signed the agreement with Lydie Evrard, Deputy Director General and Head of the IAEA’s Department of Nuclear Safety and Security.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by Dr. Raja Ali Raza Anwar, Chairman of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), and Aftab Ahmad Khokher, Permanent Representative and Ambassador of Pakistan in Austria.
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman PNRA stated that Pakistan has already begun nuclear security training efforts. This agreement would streamline these efforts, which will benefit Pakistan’s cooperation with the IAEA.
He praised the IAEA’s Department of Nuclear Safety and Security for its continued assistance to Pakistan in these endeavors.
DDG Evrard further stated that this agreement is an important step forward in Pakistan’s continuous collaboration with the IAEA on nuclear safety and security.
She anticipated that this center would not only contribute to national projects but also establish itself as a regional center of excellence.
National Institute of Safety and Security
The National Institute of Safety and Security (NISAS) is one of three nuclear security training institutes in Pakistan. It has already held IAEA-sponsored national and regional training courses.
Moreover, with the signing of this agreement, the center will continue to execute nuclear security-related training activities at the national and regional levels, in collaboration with the IAEA, over a four-year period.
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NISAS will join the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS) as the second IAEA collaborating Centre, which was established in 2019 and continues to carry out IAEA-sponsored nuclear energy operations.
