ISLAMABAD, Aug 15: Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) chairman Parvez Butt on Thursday said the government’s special interest in the development of science and technology had helped motivate the young scientists and engineers of the country.

He was speaking at a ceremony held to give away cash prizes of Rs50,000 each to the winners of National Physics Talent Contest (NPTC).

The prizes had been awarded by President Gen Pervez Musharraf. The contest is organized by the PAEC every year for popularizing science among the youths.

Mr Butt urged the youths to pursue scientific careers, since excellence in science was necessary for the country’s progress. The government’s commitment to promotion of science and technology is evident from the manifold increase in allocation for this field in the budget.

He said the PAEC envisaged had implemented an education programme 1970s to produce manpower for high technical requirements.

The commission, he added, had established many training and educational centres over the years. Among them, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences is one of the most prestigious and premier institutions of higher learning.

Mr Butt said the institute had recently been accorded the degree-awarding status and was, at present, a multi-faceted educational centre. Academic and training programmes are being conducted at the highest level in a board spectrum of disciplines.

Elaborating the activities of the PIEAS, the chairman said, since its establishment, it had produced world-class graduates upto M.Phil level in nuclear engineering, system engineering and health physics.

He said other institutes of the PAEC were engaged in educational and training programmes in nuclear power operations and IT systems.