Survey of Pakistan

Cartoon by: Mr Patrice Crochet
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SoP expresses its sincere gratitude to all the eminent speakers who added great value to the International Webinar on Geodesy held on 3 June 2026. We are also thankful to all esteemed participants who took out time and joined us during this great event.

NOW, we are again trying to cook something up ...... something much bigger, more exciting, richer and more knowledgeable ...... we shall let you know soon!

𝙒𝘼𝙏𝘾𝙃 𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙎 𝙎𝙋𝘼𝘾𝙀 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙙𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙖𝙮𝙨!

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘆

SoP commemorated the country's first-ever National Geodesy Day by hosting an International Webinar on Geodesy, bringing together leading geodetic scientists, researchers, academics, policymakers and geospatial professionals from Pakistan and abroad. The event marks the launch of an annual observance on 3 June, reflecting SoP's growing commitment to advancing geodetic sciences and strengthening engagement with the global geodetic community.

Organized in the spirit of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) and the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics - IUGG, the webinar highlighted the vital role of geodesy in modern society and underscored Pakistan's resolve to align its geodetic initiatives with international scientific standards and priorities.

The webinar featured presentations and interactive discussions by four distinguished experts. Mr Shah Muhammad, Director Survey of Pakistan, presented Pakistan's 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘎𝘦𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘮 project, highlighting ongoing efforts to modernize the country's geospatial reference framework and geodetic infrastructure. Mr Haroon Majeed, Director Survey of Pakistan, discussed the role of geodesy in advanced navigation systems and its growing importance for national development and emerging geospatial applications.

The international dimension of the event was enriched by Prof Richard Gross, President of IAG, who shared insights into the Association's role in advancing geodetic science and fostering international collaboration. Mr Martin Sehnal, Director of the Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS) Coordinating Office, apprised about the Global Geodetic Observing System and its critical contribution to Earth system monitoring, climate research, and global geospatial infrastructure.

The webinar provided a valuable platform for scientific dialogue and knowledge exchange on topics including Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), modern geodetic reference frames, Earth system monitoring, and emerging geospatial technologies. Participants highlighted the importance of international cooperation, capacity building and research partnerships in addressing global challenges. We thank all the learned guest speakers and participants for their valuable contributions and engagement to make this webinar a success.

Being the country's national geospatial organization, SoP is committed to promote geodesy in Pakistan. This inaugural webinar represents the first step in a continuing effort to foster research, innovation, collaboration and promoting greater awareness of geodetic sciences in Pakistan.

The countdown is over!

Join us today for the 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘆 and discover how geodesy enables everything from accurate maps and navigation systems to disaster management and sustainable development.

📅 Today | 3 June 2026
🕒 10:30 hrs
📍 https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88311296173

𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝘆 – 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘆

“Every map ever drawn. Every satellite ever launched. Every border ever defined. All rest upon one science…𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙮”

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁

What if the science that holds our modern world together remains largely invisible to those who need it the most? Survey of Pakistan (SoP) is determined to change that.

On 3 June 2026, Survey of Pakistan will proudly observe National Geodesy Day in Pakistan – which will become a permanent observance every year. This event on 3 June is a landmark initiative to bring Geodesy out of the shadows and into the spotlight it deserves. In the spirit of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics - IUGG and the International Association of Geodesy (IAG), this international webinar unites brilliant minds from across the globe to celebrate, advance and reimagine the future of geodetic sciences.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀?

We live in an era of climate change, rapid urbanization, satellite navigation and digital mapping – all underpinned by the precision of Geodesy. In Pakistan, however, the field continues to face institutional challenges, including limited academic recognition and the absence of dedicated university-level degree programs. National Geodesy Day is a strategic initiative to address these gaps, stimulate scientific discourse and align national efforts with international geodetic standards and priorities.

𝗢𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀

1- Promote awareness of Geodesy in Pakistan and its scientific significance within the framework of IUGG and IAG goals

2- Facilitate international exchange of knowledge on modern geodetic methods, technologies and applications

3- Strengthen scientific cooperation between Pakistan and the global geodetic community

4- To promote geodetic education and research programs at the national level

5- Contribute to the advancement of geodetic sciences at regional and global levels in support of IUGG’s mission

𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱

This webinar is open to all experts, researchers, academics, geospatial professionals and students with an interest in geodesy, surveying, remote sensing and related disciplines.

𝗕𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁

National Geodesy Day is not a mere webinar, it is a meaningful step toward strengthening Pakistan’s engagement with the global geodetic community. We invite international experts, researchers and professionals to join us, share expertise and help shape Pakistan’s path towards joining more scientifically connected world.

𝗧𝗼 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

Platform: Zoom

Join Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88311296173

Meeting ID: 883 1129 6173

“No registration required. Simply click the link on 3 June 2026 and join the session at 11AM (Pakistan Standard Time)”


𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆

Survey of Pakistan (SoP), National Geospatial Agency of Pakistan

𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝘆 NDMA 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀

A group of 20 participants from NDMA’s Center of Excellence in Climate Change and Disaster Management (CoE-C2DM) visited Headquarter SoP on 21 May 2026 as part of their ongoing Training Course C2DM P-05/26. The visit was organized to complement the theoretical components of their training programme which focuses on disaster management, climate change adaptation, geospatial technologies and emergency response coordination.

During the briefing, participants were given a detailed overview of SoP's core functions and national contributions, covering national mapping systems and advanced cartographic processes, geospatial data collection, processing and management, state-of-the-art surveying techniques, remote sensing applications and the planned Pak-NSDI project along with its strategic importance in disaster risk reduction and national development planning.

The engagement highlighted SoP’s position as a vital institutional partner in the Nation's disaster preparedness architecture. By providing geospatial data and other services, SoP can play an indispensable role in enabling informed decision-making by NDMA during disaster response, recovery and long-term development planning. This visit marks another step in SoP's ongoing commitment to institutional collaboration, knowledge-sharing and supporting Pakistan's broader national resilience agenda in the face of growing climate and disaster related risks.

𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰?

𝐋𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐨 𝐝𝐢 𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐝𝐚 𝐕𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢 (1452–1519), born on 15 April 1452 in the hill town of Vinci, was an Italian polymath renowned as a painter, draftsman, engineer, architect and social scientist. Although he is best known as one of the greatest painters in the history of Western art particularly producing a masterpiece of the Mona Lisa, yet he also made significant contributions to early development of cartography. He produced detailed maps and landscape drawings that served as practical tools for understanding both urban and rural environments. The unique fame that he enjoyed in his lifetime was his unlimited pursuit of knowledge, which guided all aspects of his creative thinking and scientific study.
Leonardo’s earliest known drawing, the Landscape of the Arno Valley (1473), depicted the river, surrounding mountains, Castle, and adjacent farmlands with remarkable precision. During 1490s, he expanded his knowledge by studying mathematics, advanced geometry and by preparing a series of drawings of regular solids in a skeletal form. Afterwards, his interest in cartography intensified between 1496 and 1510, particularly when he worked for patrons associated with land management, military planning and territorial administration.
In 1502, he produced detailed sketch maps of the city plan and topographical map of Imola for military planning. This map was especially remarkable because, unlike the symbolic and artistic maps of earlier periods, it was based on measured distances and accurate geometric relationships. He also conducted detailed studies of rivers, canals and drainage systems. Leonardo also developed clear principles of graphic representations including stylization, patterns, and diagrams that offer a precision and visual demonstration of maps. His work anticipated many features of modern topographic mapping and demonstrated how art, science and geometry could be combined to represent the physical world with precision.

References

1. Bambach, Carmen C., ed. (2003). Leonardo da Vinci, Master Draftsman. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art. ISBN 978-0-300-09878-5. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
2. Giovio, Paolo (c. 1527). "The Life of Leonardo da Vinci". Elogia virorum illustrium. in Lives of Leonardo da Vinci (Lives of the Artists). Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Museum. 2019. pp. 103–114. ISBN 978-1-60606-621-8.
3. Leonardo da Vinci | Paintings, Art, Last Supper, Inventions, Drawings, Vitruvian Man, Equestrian Statue, & Facts | Britannica
4. Leonardo da Vinci - Wikipedia.
5. Vasari, Giorgio (1965) [1568]. "The Life of Leonardo da Vinci". Lives of the Artists. Translated by George Bull. Penguin Classics. ISBN 978-0-14-044164-2.

For all geospatial enthusiasts ...... 3 June is coming up; don't miss it.

𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑐ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑛 22 𝑀𝑎𝑦!

𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄?

Jean-Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville born in Paris on July 11, 1697 was a French cartographer who significantly improved the accuracy of maps by removing speculative, non-verified information to a rigorous, evidence-based scientific approach. Inspired from prominent cartographers of his time, d’Anville inherited the tradition of systematic geographic research to refine and expand upon these methods. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of modern critical cartography. His methodological restraint significantly improved the accuracy and credibility of maps. Over his lifetime, d’Anville produced over 200 maps, many of which are to this day considered masterpieces of cartographic science and highly sought after. These maps were referred and used by many cartographers throughout the 19th century.

His detailed maps of Asia, Africa and the Roman world set new standards in geographic scholarship and were extensively used by scholars, explorers and statesmen. By integrating critical evaluation of sources with cartographic precision, d’Anville laid the foundation for modern geographic and cartographic practices. Owing to his passion to cartography, he became a member of the “Académie des Inscriptions et Belles Letters” in 1754 and became “𝑎𝑑𝑗𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝑔𝑒́𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑝ℎ𝑒 of the Académie des Sciences” in 1773 and enlighten the world with many papers.

References

1. "𝐴𝑛𝑣𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑒, 𝐽𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝐵𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑒 𝐵𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑔𝑢𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑜𝑛 𝐷'". 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐶𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑖𝑎 𝐸𝑛𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎 (6 𝑒𝑑.). 𝐶𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑖𝑎 𝑈𝑛𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠. 2012.
2. 𝐸𝑑𝑛𝑒𝑦, 𝑀𝑎𝑡𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑤 𝐻.; 𝑃𝑒𝑑𝑙𝑒𝑦, 𝑀𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑆𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑏𝑒𝑟𝑔 (2020). 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐻𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑝ℎ𝑦, 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 4: 𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑝ℎ𝑦 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐸𝑢𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝐸𝑛𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡. 𝑈𝑛𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝐶ℎ𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑔𝑜 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠. 𝑝𝑝. 114–115. 𝐼𝑆𝐵𝑁 978-0-226-33922-1.
3. 𝐶ℎ𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑚 1911, 𝑝. 157.
4. "𝑁𝑒𝑤 𝐴𝑡𝑙𝑎𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝐶ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑎, 𝐶ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑒 𝑇𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑇𝑖𝑏𝑒𝑡". 𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑 𝐷𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝐿𝑖𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑟𝑦. 𝑅𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑑 21 𝐽𝑎𝑛𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑦 2013.
5. 𝐶ℎ𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑚 1911, 𝑝𝑝. 157–158.
6. 𝐶ℎ𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑚 1911, 𝑝. 158.
7. "𝐽𝑒𝑎𝑛-𝐵𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑒 𝐵𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑔𝑢𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑜𝑛 𝑑'𝐴𝑛𝑣𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑒". 𝐺𝑎𝑧𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑁𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒. 𝑈𝑆𝐺𝑆 𝐴𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑒𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑦 𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑐ℎ 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚.
8. 𝐺𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑡, 𝐻𝑒𝑛𝑟𝑦 (1905). 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑂𝑟𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝐶𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑁𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑈𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠. 𝐺𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑃𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑂𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑒. 𝑝𝑝. 100.