::PAKISTAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY::

PMNH Celebrates Biodiversity Week

Pakistan Museum of Natural History (PMNH), which is one of the leading institutions engaged in natural history research, education and documentation, arranged weeklong educational activities from May 17-24 to celebrate the International Biodiversity Day and mark 2010 as International Year of Biodiversity declared by the United Nations.
These activities were aimed at providing an opportunity to all of us, especially the students, on whom future of the country depends, to join hands and talk about the existing and emerging problems caused by the biodiversity loss and prospects of biodiversity conservation for a healthier and more prosperous future.
The main activities included a three-day art workshop, a one-day media workshop, speech competition, quiz competition, exhibition of art pieces created by the students during art workshop and prize distribution ceremony to award prizes and certificates to the winners of different competitions

Workshop on Nature through Art

The Biodiversity Celebrations started on May 17 with a three-day art workshop entitled "Nature Through Art" at PMNH. Dr Syed Azhar Hasan, Director General, PMNH, along with PMNH Directors and students from the educational institutions of Rawalpindi and Islamabad inaugurated the workshop by releasing balloons in the air during a colouful ceremony.............................More

Views of workshop on Nature through Art on 17th to 19th May

Media Workshop on `Understanding Nature

PMNH organized a one-day workshop titled 'Understanding Nature' on May 18, 2010, for media persons. Twenty-nine journalists from various media organizations, both print and electronic, participated in the workshop.Dr. S. Azhar Hasan, Director General, PMNH, welcomed the participants of the workshop. Talking about the aims and objectives of the workshop he said media could play an important role in creating awareness among the masses about the threats to biodiversity and its conservation, which is vital to the existence of life on Planet Earth. ...................More

A guest speaking during Media Workshop; sitting from left Dr. Manzoor H. Soomro, Dr. Shahzad A. Mufti and Dr. S. Azhar Hasan

Speech Competition

PMNH organized a speech competition among students from the educational institutions of the twin cities on May 19, 2010, in its premises. Schoolchildren from 12 public and private sector educational institutions of Rawalpindi and Islamabad participated in the Speech Competition. Among boys, Jamal Abdullah from Siddeeq Public School, Satellite Town Rawalpindi won the 1st prize, M. Shaheer Hashmi from OPF Boys School, H-8/4, Islamabad won the 2nd prize and Muhammad Ali from OPF Boys School, H-8/4, Islamabad won the 3rd prize. Among Girls, Shaezil Sohail from Girls College F-8/2, Islamabad won the 1st prize,
	A contestant delivering his speech during Speech Competition
	Arooj Bukhari from Bahria College, Islamabad won the 2nd prize and Aiza Khan from Bahria College, Islamabad won the 3rd prize...........................More

Quiz Competition:

As a part of the International Biodiversity Day and International Year of Biodiversity, PMNH organized a Quiz Competition among schoolchildren on May 20, 2010. Some 10 teams from the public and private sector educational institutions participated in the competition.
The team of Siddeeq Public School, Rawalpindi, comprising Huma Sibghat Siddiqui, Farheen Khalid and Ayesha Shamshad won the first position. The Educators (Girls Campus) Satellite Town, Rawalpindi, team comprising Samman Batool, Tehreem Zahid and Maheen Nawaz stood second while CDA Model School, I-9, Islamabad team comprising Ayesha Arshad, Mahnoor Haneef and Mahnoor Ajaz stood third..................More

A participant of the Quiz Competition receiving certificate from Dr. S.A. Hasan

Art Exhibition:

Mr. Asif Shuja, Director General, Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) along with Dr. Manzoor H. Soomro, Chairman, Pakistan Science Foundation and Dr. Syed Azhar Hasan, Director General, PMNH on May 24, 2010 inaugurated an exhibition of artworks created by students from the educational institutions of Rawalpindi and Islamabad during a three-day art workshop entitled "Nature Through Art".On this occasion, the Chief Guest said the exhibition depicted students’ interest in natural beauty. He said the children had created wonderful art pieces by using different natural things, which a common man generally gives no importance ...........More

Inauguration of Art Exhibition at PMNH on 24th May

Prize Distribution Ceremony:

PMNH organized a ceremony on May 24, 2010 to award prizes and certificates to the winners of different competitions in connection with celebrations of World Biodiversity Day and Year of Biodiversity 2010.Mr. Asif Shuja, Director General, Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) was the Chief Guest of this ceremony..Addressing the ceremony, Mr. Asif Shuja said that media should play its role in creating awareness about the growing threats to biodiversity and means to reverse the situation. ................................................................More

A winner receiving prize from the Chief Guest Mr. Asif Shuja. Also present are Dr. Manzoor H. Soomro, Chairman, PSF and Dr. S. Azhar Hasan, DG PMNH

Senator Akram Zaki visits PMNH

Senator and former Secretary Foreign Affairs, Mr. Akram Zaki along with his family members paid a visit to PMNH on May 6, 2010. Dr. S. Azhar Hasan, Director General, PMNH; Dr. Muhammad Rafiq, Director, Zoological Sciences Division and other senior officers of PMNH received the guest. Dr Hasan briefed the Senator about the strength and functioning of the Museum. The guests visited different galleries of the Museum and took keen interest in natural history display. The PMNH scientists briefed the guests about their research activities.
The Senator lauded the PMNH research and educational pursuits. He said the Museum was playing an important role indocumentation and	Senator Akram Zaki being explained about a crocodile model in PMNH Display Centre
	conservation of natural history.

Afghan Minister/ Senior Advisor to president pays visit to PMNH

Afghanistan Minister and Senior Advisor to the President on Mines and Energy Professor Dr. A. Rehman Ashraf along with his entourage visited PMNH on April 24, 2010. During his visit the guests went around different display galleries of the Museum. The Minister took keen interest in Gems, Palaeo and Tethy's galleries. He termed the displays wonderful and very informative and educational.

MoU between PMNH and Zoological Survey Department signed

PMNH and Zoological Survey Department (Ministry of Environment) have signed an MoU regarding preservation and maintenance of natural history specimens of Zoological Survey Department for scientific studies, conservation and educational purposes. As a result of this MoU all preserved and stuffed natural history specimens of Natural History Museum, Karachi (a sub-office of Zoological Survey Department) will be transferred to Zoological Sciences Division of PMNH along with the relevant data, catalogue registers, storage cabinets, jars etc. PMNH was represented by Dr. Syed Azhar Hassan, Director General and Dr. Muhammad Rafique, Director ZSD along with all the directors of PMNH and all the officers of Zoological Sciences Division. Mr. Abdul Wahab, Director Zoological Survey Department along with his two senior officers represented his department. As a result of this MoU, PMNH will get thousands of valuable specimens to strengthen his reference collection and educational activities. Some of these natural history specimens belong to the pre-partition period and are literally irreplaceable, having a high rarity value. The collection also includes a number of specimens belonging to those species that are already extinct from the wild, with more under threat of extinction. Such specimens are now impossible to collect from the wild no matter whatever effort and money is put in.

Field studies carried out More

Lectures/interviews delivered More

Publications: More

Promotion/ Joining More