Senator Syed Shibli Faraz, Federal Minister for Science & Technology visited the National Institute of Oceanography on 11th March, 2022. The Minister inaugurated the Integrated Physical Oceanographic Laboratory (IPOL) at NIO and Dr. Samina Kidwai, Director General, NIO briefed the Minister about the PSDP project "Monitoring the Sea Water Intrusion, Sea Level Rise, Coastal Erosion & Land Subsidence Along Sindh and Baluchistan". This project is listed in the Prime Minister's Performance Agreement.


The Integrated Physical Oceanography Lab at NIO Physical Oceanography section will act as a nucleus where all Physical parameters and associated data will be received and analyzed with the help of the latest technology.



The efforts made by the Scientists and Technicians of the National Institute of Oceanography and the project team in the field of Ocean Science were appreciated by the Honorable Minister with the hope that the Institute will continue to flourish and expand its research activities. Federal Minister for Science and Technology also visited various laboratories of the Institute and briefly met with the scientists and discussed the research being carried out by them.
The Minister emphasized that the NIO's project findings will provide very important baseline data which will ultimately help assess damages, and provide the basis for suggesting and formulating policies for mitigating the Sea water intrusion, Sea level rise and mapping of land subsiding zone along the Pakistan coast.


Group photo of Honorable Minister with NIO officer’s and staff members

Earlier in the month of November 2021, DG NIO Dr. Samina Kidwai, along with Mr. Naimatullah Sohoo and Mr. Waqar Ahmed, visited NIO sub-station at Sonmiani to discuss matters related to administration and Research & Development (R&D) activities. The sub-station is serving as a permanent station for time series collection of meteorological parameter observation collected from Automatic Weather Station by NIO under the project “Monitoring the Sea Water Intrusion, Sea Level Rise, Coastal Erosion & Land Subsidence along Sindh and Balochistan Coast” and also by Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). In order to secure the premises and assets and land, DG NIO instructed the station in-charge to build boundary wall in the vicinity.

Fig. 1 NIO Sub-Station Sonmiani

DG NIO also visited another NIO sub-station located at Gwadar and held meeting with officer in-charge Mr. Ali Jan and Gwadar Staff on the administrative and R&D activities. Scientific and technical team from the NIO head office documented the area within the boundary of the Gwadar station for the construction/extension of laboratories and main building under the on-going PSDP “Project Strengthening of Oceanographic Research Substation Gwadar Pakistan”

Fig 2. Oceanographic Research Substation Gwadar

Fig. 3 Meeting with the officer in charge and staff of Gwadar Station

DG NIO and NIO officers had a meeting with the Chairman, Gwadar Port Authority to discuss the reactivation of NIO Tidal observatory and berthing space/ facility for NIO survey boat at Gwadar Fish Harbor and other official matters related to the MoU between both the departments. The minutes of the meetings has already been shared to the GPA. Previously, National Institute of Oceanography has conducted several oceanographic surveys for the government of Balochistan. Exchange of insignia and brochures has been done at the end of meeting.



Fig. 4,5 Meeting with the chairman of Gwadar Port Authority at Gwadar

Fig. 6 Pishkan Jetty