The Department of Physics, Quaid-e-Azam University () (founded as the Institute of Physics, QAU), is an

academic An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...

and research department of the

Quaid-e-Azam University Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), founded as the University of Islamabad, is a Public university, public research university in Islamabad, Pakistan. Founded as the University of Islamabad in 1967, it was initially dedicated to postgraduate educat ...

(Qau),

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

. It is also referred to as the Institute of Theoretical Physics. In 2018, it was officially renamed as al-Khazini Department, named after

al-Khazini Abū al-Fath Abd al-Rahman Mansūr al-Khāzini or simply al-Khāzini (, flourished 1115–1130) was an Iranian astronomer, mechanician and physicist of Byzantine Greek origin who lived during the Seljuk Empire. His astronomical tables, written ...

. Established in 1966 with efforts led by

Abdus Salam Mohammad Abdus Salam Salam adopted the forename "Mohammad" in 1974 in response to the anti-Ahmadiyya decrees in Pakistan, similarly he grew his beard. (; ; 29 January 192621 November 1996) was a Pakistani theoretical physicist. He shared the 1 ...

, the institute was located in

Rawalpindi Rawalpindi is the List of cities in Punjab, Pakistan by population, third-largest city in the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is a commercial and industrial hub, being the list of cities in P ...

, Punjab Province and offered research in mathematics and theoretical physics. Professor Riazuddin served its first and founding director of the institute after shifting to the present QAU campus in 1972. The institute is considered a birthplace of school of theoretical physics of Pakistan. It is also a birthplace of "Theoretical Physics Group" (TPG), now shifted to PINSTECH, and invited scientists from all over the world. The department has collaborated with institutes including

Kahuta Research Laboratories The Dr. A. Q. Khan Research Laboratories (shortened as KRL), is a federally funded research and development laboratory located in Kahuta at a short distance from Rawalpindi in Punjab, Pakistan. Established in 1976, the laboratory is best know ...

National Centre for Physics The National Centre for PhysicsPreviously known as Riazuddin Centre for Physics. (NCP) is a federally funded research institute and national laboratory co-located near Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad, Pakistan. Founded in 1999, the site ...

, Government College University, the

International Centre for Theoretical Physics The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) is a research center for physical and mathematical sciences, located in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. The center operates under a tripartite agreement between the Gov ...

(ICTP) and

CERN The European Organization for Nuclear Research, known as CERN (; ; ), is an intergovernmental organization that operates the largest particle physics laboratory in the world. Established in 1954, it is based in Meyrin, western suburb of Gene ...

Foundation and history

Between 1966 and 1968,

's doctoral students had returned to Pakistan after earning their doctorates and experience. These physicists had been under Abdus Salam's influence and were eager to establish an institute of physics. Abdus Salam enabled them to engage their research in theoretical physics and to establish the country's first school of theoretical physics. Abdus Salam provided his support to establish the institute and gave the founding directorship of the institute to his pupil student, Riazuddin. Abdus Salam and Riazuddin founded the first "Theoretical Physics Group (TPG)" in 1968 that gave birth to Pakistan's school of theoretical physics. The infrastructure was built by the

Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) () is a federally funded independent governmental agency, concerned with research and development of nuclear power, promotion of nuclear science, energy conservation and the peaceful use of nuclear techn ...

(PAEC) after Raziuddin Siddiqui also persuaded the PAEC to provide its full support to establish this institute as a birthplace of theoretical physics. The new institute was re-established at the

University of Islamabad Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), founded as the University of Islamabad, is a public research university in Islamabad, Pakistan. Founded as the University of Islamabad in 1967, it was initially dedicated to postgraduate study, but later expande ...

and, Salam, Siddiqui and Bhutto convinced the authorities in Pakistan, specifically President Ayub Khan, to make the proposed university a research institution. Siddiqui convinced the chairman of PAEC, dr IH Usmani, to send all the theoreticians in PAEC to the Institute of Physics at the University of Islamabad to form a theoretical physics group.

Notes

{{reflist Quaid-i-Azam University

Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah (born Mahomedali Jinnahbhai; 25 December 187611 September 1948) was a barrister, politician, and the founder of Pakistan. Jinnah served as the leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until the inception of Pa ...

1966 establishments in Pakistan Abdus Salam Institutes associated with CERN