Islamabad, The Higher Education Commission (HEC) delivered awards to 33 scholars and researchers for their efforts. In this regard a ceremony named “Outstanding Research Awards” where the winners were awarded under different categories, Lifetime Academic Achievement, Best Research Paper, Best Innovator, Best Book Publication and Best Young Research Scholar.

Academics from six varied disciplines, including Biological Sciences, Engineering and Technology, Basic and Applied Sciences, Management Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities, were given the awards.

The Life Time Achievement Award was given to Professor Dr Anwarul Hassan Gilani, Agha Khan University and Professor Dr Bina Shaheen Siddiqui, University of Karachi.

The Best Innovator Award went to the associate professor Dr Robina Farooq from COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT) Abbottabad. The Best Book Publication awards were given to Assistant professor Dr Ghazala Nasim from the University of the Punjab, Vice Chancellor Dr Nasim A Khan from Hamdard University Karachi and Director Staff (Research) Dr Sikandar Hayat from National Management College Lahore.

The Best Research Paper Award was handed out to several academics and scientists for their “outstanding work”. The winners were Dr Muhammad Saeed Akhtar,  Principal Medical Officer of Punjab Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Samina Anwar, junior scientist at the National Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering,  Dr Muhammad Ilyas, research associate from University of the Punjab, Dr Muhammad Irfaq Khan, senior scientist at Nuclear Institute for Food and Agriculture, Dr Asif Mir from International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), Dr Muhammad Ayub Kakar,  Assistant Professor at University of the Balochistan, Professor Dr Syed Tauseef Mohyuddin from HITEC University of Taxila, Dr Muhammad Atif, senior scientist from Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Science and Dr Ahmer Mehmood from IIUI.

The Best Young Research Scholar awards went out to Dr Pashtoon Murtaza Kasi, an intern at the Aga Khan University, Dr Hassan Imran Afridi, a lecturer from University of Sindh Jamshoro, Dr Syed Muneer Hussain Shahabad, lecturer at Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), Dr Tassawar Hayat, associate professor from QAU, Dr Syed Ali Khayam, assistant professor from National University of Sciences and Technology and Aijaz Ahmed Gujjar, a lecturer from Federal College of Education.

Dr Javaid Laghari, HEC Chairperson said that the purpose of these awards is to recognize and reward the achievements of Pakistani researchers in all areas of knowledge. University research is directly linked to the economic growth of any country which is evident by the developments taking place across the globe, he added. Praising the researchers for their work, Executive Director HEC Dr Sohail Naqvi said, “They have proved that they are second to none in world-class research.”

Federal Minister for Science and Technology Mir Changez Khan Jamali, while addressing the audience, said that due to initiatives of HEC scholars are engaging in active research activities.