Islamabad, Pakistan – Dr. Miroslav Pinak, Head of the Radiation Safety & Monitoring Section at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), recently concluded his visit to Pakistan from October 21 to October 25, 2024. This visit was focused on enhancing collaboration in the critical areas of radiation safety.

During his stay, Dr. Pinak met with officials from the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) at its Karachi office (RNSD-III), where he received a comprehensive briefing on PNRA’s licensing, inspection, and enforcement activities related to radiation facilities. He visited several notable institutions, such as Dr. Ziauddin Hospital's Cyclotron Facility, the Karachi Institute of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine (KIRAN), and the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC).

After concluding his visit to Karachi, Dr. Pinak travelled to PNRA HQs, Islamabad where he was provided an overview of PNRA's initiatives in radiation protection and engaged in discussions about recent IAEA activities in the same field at PNRA HQs. He also visited the National Institute of Safety and Security (NISAS), an IAEA collaboration center, along with the National Radiation Emergency Coordination Centre (NRECC), the Environmental Monitoring and Dosimetry Laboratories (EM&D Labs) of PNRA, as well as the Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH) and a visit to NORI Hospital (a public sector nuclear medicine and oncology department).

Concluding his five-day visit, Dr. Pinak met with the officiating Chairman of PNRA, Mr. Muhammad Rahman, with whom he discussed future areas of collaboration between PNRA and IAEA, including support from IAEA in advancing radiation safety in new medical modalities, regulatory control of radiation sources, and the establishment of diagnostic reference levels in medical imaging.Dr. Pinak commended PNRA’s expertise, support and contribution to IAEA activities for Member States.

Mr. Rahman expressed gratitude for Dr. Pinak’s visit and reiterated PNRA’s commitment to future collaborations, highlighting PNRA’s readiness to offer its expertise in various fields of nuclear and radiation safety to the IAEA and the international community.