Pervez Butt (or Pervaz Butt) (born October, 4, 1942) is a Pakistan nuclear engineer, and was the chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) from 2001 to 2006. Butt played an important role in the establishing of particle accelerator, nuclear power plants, and Nuclear medicine in Pakistan. Pervez Butt also established a nuclear medicine research lab at PAEC. Pervez Butt is a highly cited researcher in the field of nuclear engineering and he has been a visiting professor of nuclear engineering in many universities of Pakistan.

Education

Butt received his early education from Lahore, Pakistan. He received his B.Sc in mechanical engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Lahore in 1962. He then received his M.Sc. in nuclear engineering from the University of Toronto, Canada in 1966.

Career and heading PAEC

Pervez Butt joined the PAEC in 1966 as a chief nuclear engineer. He was involved in the design, installation, and operation of KANNUP, where he stayed until 1984. Pervez Butt also played an important role in designing neutron particle accelerator at PARR-II. He had worked closely with well-known Pakistani nuclear scientist dr. Samar Mubarakmand in establishing of neutron particle accelerator. He worked closely with his mentor and former PAEC chairman, Munir Ahmad Khan in building of nuclear power plants. He also designed the chasma nuclear power plant. He was appointed director of the PAEC, in 1994 and chairman of PAEC in 2001. On July, 26, as new Chairman of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, established five more nuclear medicines centres in the country and train the staff of other health institutions about nuclear medicines and methods.

Heading Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission at IAEA

Pervez Butt headed PAEC at IAEA meeting where he, as a chairman of PAEC, signed a contract with IAEA. On sepember, 3,2004, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has mandated Pakistan to extensively use nuclear energy for civilian purposes in agriculture, industrial, health, education and environment sectors. IAEA had decided to offer substantial funding for 24 research projects, findings of which would be shared with other Asian countries. Pakistan had become the “highest recipient of IAEA’s financial and technical assistance” and that the relevant international agencies and Islamabad’s bilateral supporters had been taken into confidence about the application of nuclear energy for civilian purposes. Mr. Parvez Butt also said the IAEA had allowed the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission to amply use nuclear energy for improving the performance of agriculture, industrial, health, education and environment sectors.

Relationship with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz

Parvez Butt was very close to then-Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shaukat Aziz. Parvez Butt maintained a close association with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz until his termed to be complete. Parvez Butt submitted a long-term nuclear power plant project to Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, where Prime Minister Aziz allowed PAEC to established more both civilian and military purpose nuclear power plant]]s. Parvez Butt also assisted Prime Minister Shaukat to launched work on the 325-megawatt plant in Chashma, which is the second to be built at the site with Chinese help.

On December, 28,2005, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz inaugurated Chasma nuclear power plant, where both Chinese and Pakistani nuclear scientists attended. In an inauguration, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said " a milestone" in the history of nuclear technology in Pakistan.

Fame and Legacy

He has been awarded Pakistan's highest civil awards Hilal-e-Imtiaz and Sitara-e-Imtiaz in 1999 from the President of Pakistan,Justice (r). Muhammad Rafiq Tarar . Pervez Butt has been an active member of the Board of Government of World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO), World Nuclear Association (WNA) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). He was elected the Vice Chair of the IAEA Board of Government in 2005. Butt retired from the PAEC in 2006.

Pervez Butt was a distinguished associate and team member of late Pakistani nuclear engineer Munir Ahmad Khan and also worked under Dr. I. H. Usmani and Dr. Ishfaq Ahmad. Like his mentors, he kept a lower profile. That is why, he is also considered as the "Unsung Hero of Nuclear Pakistan".

On July, 04,2006, Parvez Butt retired from PAEC as a Chief Scientist. Dr. Ali Anwar, a known nuclear physicist, took over as Chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission in a simple ceremony held at PAEC headquater. He was later transfered to Ministry of Science and Technology where he was elevated as the Science and Technology secretary^[1].

Awards and Honors

• Hilal-e-Imtiaz (1999)
• Sitara-e-Imtiaz (1999)

Associations

• Member of the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO)
• Member of World Nuclear Association (WNA)
• Vice Chair of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) (2005)
• An elected fellow of Pakistan Nuclear Society (1995)

Reference

• http://www.pakissan.com/english/news/newsDetail.php?newsid=6791
• http://www.pr-inside.com/the-state-of-pakistan-s-competitiveness-report-r128628.htm
• http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-13522849_ITM
• http://www.competitiveness.org.pk/BoD/pervezbutt.pdf

((subst:#if:Butt, Parvez|)) [[Category:((subst:#switch:((subst:uc:1942))

|| UNKNOWN | MISSING = Year of birth missing ((subst:#switch:((subst:uc:Living))||LIVING=(living people)))
| #default = 1942 births

))]] ((subst:#switch:((subst:uc:Living))

|| LIVING  =
| MISSING  =
| UNKNOWN  = 
| #default =

))