The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) is an independent governmental authority and a scientific research institution, concerned with research and development of nuclear power, promotion of nuclear science, energy conservation and the peaceful usage of nuclear technology.
Since its establishment in 1956, the PAEC has overseen the extensive development of nuclear infrastructure to support the economical uplift of Pakistan by founding institutions that focus on development on food irradiation and on nuclear medicine radiation therapy for cancer treatment. Since the 1960s, the PAEC is also a scientific research partner and sponsor of CERN, In 2001, the PAEC was integrated with the National Command Authority which is now under Prime Minister.
The establishment of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) in 1951 began Pakistan's research on physical sciences. In 1953, U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower announced the Atoms for Peace program, and of which Pakistan became its earliest partner. Research at PAEC initially followed a strict non-weapon policy issued by then-Foreign Minister Sir Sir Zafar-ulla Khan. In 1955, the government established a committee of scientists to prepare nuclear energy plans and build an industrial nuclear infrastructure throughout the country.
As the Energy Council Act went into full effect, Prime minister Huseyn Suhrawardy established the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) in March 1956.Its first chair was Nazir Ahmad – an experimental physicist.
In 1960, the PAEC established its regional atomic research center in Lahore, and a metallurgy center in Karachi in 1963. Another energy center was located in Dhaka where many scientists were educated.In 1967, the PAEC founded the Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences which became one of the primary technical universities of the country.
The PAEC is chaired by the appointed chairperson by the Government of Pakistan as the governmental notification is released. The PAEC's corporate management is organized by the Government who awarded contracts to the potential candidates. Its full-time members are consisted of the appointed Chair; a finance member; and two technical members. Its part-time members are composed of the senior scientists and a chief scientific adviser to the government.