Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Nafees Zakaria, Executive Director COMSATS, participated at the opening ceremony of the International School on Advances in Theoretical High Energy Physics (ATHEP 2026) as Chief Guest. The five-day event was organized by the National Centre for Physics (NCP), Pakistan, with support of COMSATS and the Pakistan Academy of Sciences (PAS), in Islamabad from 26–30 January 2026.
In his remarks, Amb. Zakaria highlighted the significance and applications of High Energy Physics and called for adequate investment in fundamental sciences. The Executive Director congratulated NCP’s leadership for organizing this prestigious scientific school, and warmly welcomed the foreign and Pakistani subject experts who participated to contribute to this learning forum.
Amb. Zakaria observed that the pursuit of knowledge in high-energy physics is not merely academic but is foundational to technological breakthroughs that redefine societies, from healthcare to communication systems. Noting Pakistan’s contribution to this field, Amb. Zakaria paid tribute to Nobel Laureate Professor Dr. Abdus Salam, who put forward the idea of establishing NCP as well as COMSATS. He appreciated NCP’s role in connecting Pakistani scientists with the leading international institutions of Physics and facilitating collaboration with CERN. He stated that COMSATS values its enduring partnership with NCP. Amb. Zakaria highlighted COMSATS’ commitment to building scientific capacity of its 27 Member States utilizing the expertise available at its Network of 25 International Science and Technology Centres of Excellence.
The ATHEP 2026 school featured talks of leading physicists from institutions including CERN, DESY, and key universities in Germany, Spain, the USA, China, Canada, and Russia. The programme explored advanced themes such as the Standard Model, Quantum Chromodynamics, Cosmology, and Physics beyond the Standard Model.
The school was attended by a diverse cohort of students, early-career researchers, and faculty members, offering a unique platform for dialogue, mentorship, and academic exchange in frontier areas of theoretical physics.
