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History  

Composition

Functions      

    History of PAEC          

The history of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission goes back to 1956, when the Atomic Energy Research Council was established.  In 1964, 1965 and 1973 reorganization took place and the Atomic Energy Commission was incorporated as a statutory body under an Act, with considerable autonomy.  In 1972 the commission was transferred from the Science and Technology Research Division to the President's Secretariat.

PAEC is now the largest S & T organization of the country, both in terms of scientific/technical manpower and the scope of its activities.  Starting with a nuclear power reactor at Karachi (KANUPP) and an experimental research reactor at Nilore, Islamabad (PARR-I), the emphasis in the early years remained focussed  on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Consequently research centres in agriculture, medicine, biotechnology and other scientific disciplines were set up all over the country. As the emphasis shifted towards concerns for national security, important projects were also initiated in this area.