Pakistan Antarctic Programme
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The Pakistan Antarctic Programme ( ur, ), abbreviated as PAP) is a scientific administrative division of the
Ministry of Science and Technology A Science Ministry or Department of Science is a ministry or other government agency charged with science. The ministry is often headed by a Minister for Science. List of Ministries of Science Many countries have a Ministry of Science or Ministry ...
(MoST) which represents the
Government of Pakistan The Government of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=hakúmat-e pákistán) abbreviated as GoP, is a federal government established by the Constitution of Pakistan as a constituted governing authority of the Administrative units of Pakistan, four provin ...
on the
continent A continent is any of several large landmasses. Generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, up to seven geographical regions are commonly regarded as continents. Ordered from largest in area to smallest, these seven ...
of
Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest contine ...
. The program coordinates scientific research and operational support in the region. The program is funded by the Pakistan Science Foundation and the Ministry of Science and Technology. Currently, the PAP maintains and controls two polar stations in the region: the
Jinnah Antarctic Station The Jinnah Antarctic Station is an Antarctic research station operated by the Pakistan Antarctic Programme. Located in East Antarctica, it lies in the vicinity of the Sør Rondane Mountains in Queen Maud Land, and is named after Muhammad Al ...
(JNS), and the Polar Research Cell (PRC), which was established by the National Institute of Oceanography to co-ordinate all Antarctic related activities.


History

The Antarctic Programme was launched by the National Institute of Oceanography, with the full support of
Pakistan Navy ur, ہمارے لیے اللّٰہ کافی ہے اور وہ بہترین کارساز ہے۔ English language, English: Allah is Sufficient for us - and what an excellent (reliable) Trustee (of affairs) is He!(''Quran, Qur'an, Al Imran, 3:173' ...
's Naval Weapons Engineering Division (NWED). In 1991, Prime minister
Nawaz Sharif Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif (Urdu, Punjabi language, Punjabi: ; born 25 December 1949) is a Pakistani businessman and politician who has served as the Prime Minister of Pakistan for three non-consecutive terms. He is the longest-serving prime ...
established the programme under the direction of the Navy. On 15 June 1992, Pakistan became an Associate Member of the
Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) is an interdisciplinary body of the International Science Council (ISC). SCAR coordinates international scientific research efforts in Antarctica, including the Southern Ocean. SCAR's scien ...
, but did not accede to the
Antarctic Treaty russian: link=no, Договор об Антарктике es, link=no, Tratado Antártico , name = Antarctic Treaty System , image = Flag of the Antarctic Treaty.svgborder , image_width = 180px , caption ...
due to economic reasons. In January 1991, Pakistan dispatched its first expedition to Greater Antarctica under the auspices of the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO). As the programme was led by the Navy, the PN dispatched a small group of
Pakistan Marines The Pakistan Marines (Urdu: ) or simply as Pak Marines, is an Expeditionary warfare, expeditionary and amphibious warfare Pakistan Military, uniform service branch within the Pakistan Navy, consisting of the naval officers and other personnel to p ...
, along with the team of scientists on board the destroyer PNS Tariq and the research vessel PNS Behr Paima. Facilities were quickly established in the region, and
Jinnah Antarctic Station The Jinnah Antarctic Station is an Antarctic research station operated by the Pakistan Antarctic Programme. Located in East Antarctica, it lies in the vicinity of the Sør Rondane Mountains in Queen Maud Land, and is named after Muhammad Al ...
(JNS) was commissioned. The station houses an unmanned automatic Weather Station, from which data are transmitted to Pakistan via Argos Satellite System. In 2001, the
Badr-B The Badr-B ( ur, ; also known as Badr-II, meaning ''Full Moon-2'') is the second spacecraft and the first earth observation satellite launched into Earth orbit on 10 December 2001 at 09:15 by the SUPARCO — Pakistan's national space agency. '' ...
was connected to the Weather Station after it was launched by
SUPARCO The Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) ( ur, ) is the :Pakistan federal departments and agencies, executive and List of government space agencies, national space agency of Pakistan. It is headquartered at the capital city ...
. In 2006, Pakistan established the National Institute of Oceanography's Polar Research Cell (PRC). A number of national organisations are involved in Antarctic activities and are active participants in the Pakistan Antarctic Programme. Both stations' data are transmitted to Pakistan via the
Badr-B The Badr-B ( ur, ; also known as Badr-II, meaning ''Full Moon-2'') is the second spacecraft and the first earth observation satellite launched into Earth orbit on 10 December 2001 at 09:15 by the SUPARCO — Pakistan's national space agency. '' ...
Satellite. However, the new Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite System was launched in late 2011 to replace the Badr satellite system program.


Objectives

The main objectives of the Pakistan Antarctic Programme are to undertake multidisciplinary research and
survey Survey may refer to: Statistics and human research * Statistical survey, a method for collecting quantitative information about items in a population * Survey (human research), including opinion polls Spatial measurement * Surveying, the techniq ...
the Antarctic region, with particular attention to geology and
geophysics Geophysics () is a subject of natural science concerned with the physical processes and physical properties of the Earth and its surrounding space environment, and the use of quantitative methods for their analysis. The term ''geophysics'' som ...
. Studies also include
environmental A biophysical environment is a biotic and abiotic surrounding of an organism or population, and consequently includes the factors that have an influence in their survival, development, and evolution. A biophysical environment can vary in scale f ...
and
oceanographic Oceanography (), also known as oceanology and ocean science, is the scientific study of the oceans. It is an Earth science, which covers a wide range of topics, including ecosystem dynamics; ocean currents, waves, and geophysical fluid dynamics ...
research. Pakistan's research activities are in conformity with the tenets of the
Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) is an interdisciplinary body of the International Science Council (ISC). SCAR coordinates international scientific research efforts in Antarctica, including the Southern Ocean. SCAR's scien ...
(SCAR), of which Pakistan is an associate member. Pakistanis have gained experience and capability by launching two major expeditions, thus strengthening
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
's ability to conduct research in the harsh
Antarctic The Antarctic ( or , American English also or ; commonly ) is a polar region around Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica, the Kerguelen Plateau and other ...
environment. Apart from this, useful environmental and oceanographic data has been collected in the region, and relevant technical information on Antarctic affairs has been provided to the Pakistani government.


Stations

Pakistan maintains two summer research stations and one weather observatory in the vicinity of the
Sør Rondane Mountains The Sør Rondane Mountains are a group of mountains about 100 miles (160 km) long with main peaks rising to 3400 m, between the Queen Fabiola Mountains and Wohlthat Mountains in Queen Maud Land. They were discovered and photographed from th ...
,
Queen Maud Land Queen Maud Land ( no, Dronning Maud Land) is a roughly region of Antarctica claimed by Norway as a dependent territory. It borders the claimed British Antarctic Territory 20° west and the Australian Antarctic Territory 45° east. In addit ...
, in
Eastern Antarctica East Antarctica, also called Greater Antarctica, constitutes the majority (two-thirds) of the Antarctic continent, lying on the Indian Ocean side of the continent, separated from West Antarctica by the Transantarctic Mountains. It lies almos ...
. The
Jinnah Antarctic Station The Jinnah Antarctic Station is an Antarctic research station operated by the Pakistan Antarctic Programme. Located in East Antarctica, it lies in the vicinity of the Sør Rondane Mountains in Queen Maud Land, and is named after Muhammad Al ...
is the centre of most operations, and travel to and from Antarctica is done through the airfield at the JAS. Pakistan is developing a full-fledged permanent base in
Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest contine ...
, which will allow researchers to carry out year-round operations.


References


External links


Antarctic Research
National Institute of Oceanography, Karachi {{Science and technology in Pakistan Science and technology in Pakistan Science and technology in Antarctica Nawaz Sharif administration Naval operations involving Pakistan P