ISLAMABAD: Pakistani students won three bronze medals at the 56th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) held in Bucaramanga, Colombia, from July 4 to 12, 2026.
The Pakistani team secured bronze medals through Zulfiqar Ali of Government City Boys School, Dera Ghazi Khan, Ali Hamdan Alvi of FG Sir Syed College, Rawalpindi, and Daniyal Shahzad Hamid of the Science School, Rawat, Islamabad.
Hazza Mahmood of Aitchison College, Lahore, and Abdullah Ejaz of Siddeeq Public School, Rawalpindi, earned honorable mentions for their commendable performance.
The Olympiad brought together more than 400 outstanding students from over 90 countries, providing a prestigious platform for young physicists to demonstrate their scientific knowledge and problem-solving abilities.
The students were selected through the 22nd National Science Talent Contest (NSTC) conducted under the STEM Careers Programme, a joint initiative of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS).
According to a press release, following a rigorous nationwide selection process, the selected students underwent a series of intensive residential training camps at the PIEAS campus, where they received advanced theoretical and experimental training from both national and international experts.
The comprehensive preparation enabled the students to compete at the highest international level and represent Pakistan with distinction at the Olympiad. The Pakistan team was led by Prof Dr Mohammad Irfan and Dr Mohammad Waseem of PIEAS.
Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2026
