ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today gave in principle, approval for the renaming of National Centre for Physics at Quaid-i-Azam University as “Professor Abdus Salam Center for Physics.”

The PM has directed the Ministry of Professional and Technical Training to put up formal summary for renaming of the center for approval of the President of Pakistan, a statement said.

The PM also approved the grant of five fellowships annually to Pakistani students for PhD in the field of Physics through Higher Education Commission (HEC) in reputed international universities. The fellowship program is named as Professor Abdus Salam Fellowship.

The PM has taken this decision in recognition of the great contributions of renowned Pakistani physicist Dr Mohammad Abdus Salam who is a major figure in the 20th century theoretical physics who shared the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physics for his contribution in the field of physics.

He was the first Pakistani to receive a Nobel Prize in science and the second from an Islamic country to receive any Nobel Prize. His remarkable achievement earned fame and prestige for the country which rightly deserves to be valued.

Dr. Salam also served the country as a top level science advisor to the Government of Pakistan from 1960 to 1974, a position from which he played a major and influential role in the development of the country's science infrastructure.

In 1998, following the country's nuclear tests, the Government of Pakistan issued a commemorative stamp, as a part of "Scientists of Pakistan", to honour the services of Dr. Salam. Renaming the National Centre for Physics as Dr. Abdus Salam’s Centre for Physics would be another step towards honouring the Pakistani scientist who served the country and brought a good name for Pakistan.