Centenary of World Meterological Organization (March 23, 1973)

The stamp is vertical in format. The elements of Meteorology i.e. cloud, lightning and Ra-dar constitute the subject of the design. The cloud is shown in abstract form at the top in blue and green colours with two bolts of lightning in yellow and orange colours shoot-ing through it towards left and right side. The radar, also in abstract form is shown at the right side in red, blue and grey colours. The 1.M.O./W.M.O. emblem in black colour appears in the lower left corner beside the radar. The denomination ~20-Paisa~ in red colour and the word “Postage” in black ap-pear at top left and right corner respectively. The word “Pakistan” in Urdu and English in blue colour is placed in vertical position at the left side of the stamp.
To commemorate the centenary of IMO/WMO, the Pakistan Post Office is issuing a postage stamp of 20 Paisa denomination on the 23rd March 1973,
WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION: The World Meteorological Organization is a Specialised Agency of the United Nations, created to coordinate, standardize and improve the services rendered by meteorology throughout the World to various human activities. Its members include 140 countries.
The first effort towards international collaboration in meteorology was made in 1853, when a meeting of sea-going nations drew up a programme of weather obser-vations over the oceans to contribute to the safety of life at sea. To organize the necessary collaboration in making and collecting weather observations not only at sea but also on land, the International Meteorological Organization (IMO) was established in 1873 by the Directors of National Weather Services. During the present century, the birth and development of aviation created a new need for detailed weather information along air routes and at aerodromes.
Consequent on the creation of the United Nations, the Conference of Directors of National Meteorological Services which met at Washington in 1947, adopted the World Meteorological Convention establishing a new organization founded on a formal agreement between governments. This Convention was ratified by a large number of States and in 1951 the new World Meteorological Organization (WMO) started its activities, the former organiza-tion having been dissc4ved. In December, 1951, the General Assembly of the United Nations approved an agreement between the United Nations and the World Meteorological Organization by which the latter was recognized as one of its Specialised Agencies.
PROGRAMME: The Organization’s programme included assistance to member countries in developing their water resources, participation in tropical research, assistance in world-wide or regional deficiencies in meteorology, weather fore-casting for agriculture, international comparison of meteorological instruments and publication of a wide variety of international manuals and technical studies. World Meteorological Organization plays a very active role in the United Nations programme of technical co-operation and assistance towards economic development. in the form of advisory experts, training, equipment etc. PUBLIC SERVICE: One of the purposes of meteorology is to instruct, warn and advise people about weather, particularly. its adverse conditions, and thus help prevent the devastation caused by it. However, issuing weather forecasts and warnings is not the only contribution made by meteorology to the welfare of man. The records of past weather observation. enable meteorological services to provide a large number of people in different walks of life, viz., engineers, farmers, legal authorities, insurance companies etc. with information on weather and climate in connection with hydro-electric projects, town planning, sowing seeds, accidents and damages caused by the inclement weather. The practical application of meteorology. to public health, transportation, peaceful uses of atomic energy and other problems of every day life deserve to be mentioned.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY WMO TO PAKISTAN
The Institute of Meteorology and Geophysics of Pakistan Meteorological Department has been functioning in Karachi since 1957. It owes its progress and development partly to the collaboration and assistance of the World Meteorological Organization in providing ‘expert advisory services’ and ‘fellowships’ for the purpose. To recount briefly, Dr Hans Neuberger, Dr. R. S. Scorer and Dr. Ulrich Hans Czapski, WMO experts, conducted a course for Instructors on Meteorology and trained several meteorologists of Pakistan Meteoro-logical Department to work as Instructors. As a result of this assistance and advice given by the above experts, the Institute has now got fourteen trained instructors on its strength In addition to the training to the personnel of Pakistan Meteorological Department. the Institute is providing training facilities to the personnel of various Government Departments and other or-ganisations in the country. Due to its successful development, the Institute has also attracted foreign nationals for receiv-ing training in meteorology. So far, six Government nominees from Saudi Arabia and three from Ghana have been trained at the Institute Besides being a training centre, this Institute is also working as a research centre. Dr. H Flohn, a WMO expert, during his period of assignment, formulated a research programme directed towards long range forecasting and study of’ physical climatology. As a result, the public, the farmers, and those concerned with aviation, shipping, etc are being benefited by accurate and timely forecasts and warnings which are indirectly con-tributing towards the improvement of the economy of the country.