Pakistan was on Friday elected to the Board of Governors of the UN atomic watchdog IAEA for a two-year term against a regional seat reserved for the Middle East and South Asia.

Pakistan was the consensus candidate of the region, said a statement issued by the Foreign Office. The election took place by acclamation at the regular session of International Atomic Energy Agency's General Conference which began in Vienna on September 14.

This will be Pakistan's 17th two-year term on the IAEA Board.

"Pakistan's election to the Board of Governors is recognition of its long-standing commitment to the aims and objectives of the IAEA. It has pursued peaceful uses of nuclear technology, in particular nuclear power generation," the statement said.

During this term, Pakistan will "work closely with the Agency and fellow member states for further development of peaceful nuclear energy at the national, regional and international levels," it added.