Islamabad: A total of 58 Pakistani scientists have been recognised among the world’s top two percent most influential researchers, according to the latest global citation impact rankings, placing Pakistan on the international scientific map largely due to its strength in health and medical research.
The list includes some of the country’s most respected clinician scientists and academics, led by Prof Dr Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Prof Javed Akram and Prof Abdul Basit, whose work has shaped public health, clinical medicine and biomedical research at home and abroad.
The ranking has once again highlighted the dominant role of The Aga Khan University (AKU), which accounts for around 20 scientists on the list, the single largest contribution by any Pakistani institution. AKU researchers feature mainly in public health, paediatrics, nutrition, infectious diseases, epidemiology and clinical medicine, reflecting decades of sustained research output and international collaboration.
Among the most prominent Pakistani scientists included in the global top two percent are Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, internationally recognised for his work in maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition; Javed Akram, known for his leadership in academic medicine and health sector reform; and Abdul Basit, a leading authority on diabetes and metabolic disorders.
Also featured prominently are Jai Kumar Das, Sajid Bashir Soofi, Zafar Ahmed Fatmi, Imran Rasheed Ahmed, Fyezah Jehan, Waris Qidwai, Romaina Iqbal, Farah Naz Qamar, Muhammad Imran Nisar, Sameen Siddiqi, Quratulain Qidwai, Tazeen Saeed Ali and Salimah R Walani, reflecting the depth of Pakistan’s contribution to global health research.
Another group of scientists on the list comes from major public sector and private universities outside AKU including Ejaz Ahmad Khan and Babar Tasneem Shaikh from the Health Services Academy Islamabad; Farooq Azam Rathore and Liaqat Ali from the National University of Medical Sciences; Syed Amir Gilani and Ashfaq Ahmad from the University of Lahore; and Irfan Ullah, Umar Bacha and Sonia Mukhtar from the University of Management and Technology Lahore, representing disciplines such as rehabilitation sciences, public health, pharmacy and psychology.
Another set of Pakistani scientists recognised among the world’s top two percent includes Muhammad Arif Nadeem Saqib and Jamal Abdul Nasir from Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad; Muhammad Umar Ijaz and Sadia Bibi from the University of Agriculture Faisalabad; Khalid Mahmood from Bahauddin Zakariya University; Aamer Ikram from the National Institute of Health Pakistan; Khezar Hayat from the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore; and Ghulam Haider from Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Karachi, highlighting contributions from both health and agricultural sciences.
The list further includes scientists such as Ghulam Mustafa from Nishtar Medical College and Hospital, Muhammad Nadeem Hafeez from the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Tahir Aziz Ahmad from the National University of Sciences and Technology, Sana Ullah from the University of Education, Rehan Ahmed Khan from Riphah International University, Kashif Shafique from Dow University of Health Sciences, Nazish Imran from King Edward Medical University, Ayesha Humayun from Shaikh Zayed Postgraduate Medical Institute, Zia Ul Haq from Khyber Medical University and Zahra Zahid Piracha from the International Center of Medical Sciences Research.
Other Pakistani scientists featured in the global ranking include Muhammad Saaiq from the National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Inayat Ali from Fatima Jinnah Women University, Sohail Akhtar from the University of Haripur, Saif Ullah from the University of Chitral, Syed Shujait Ali from the University of Swat, Muhammad Shahbaz Shoaib from the University of Balochistan and Sikandar Hayat Khan, reflecting representation from nearly all regions of the country.
In terms of specialties, health sciences dominate the list, with the majority of Pakistani scientists working in public health, clinical medicine, nutrition, endocrinology, psychiatry, infectious diseases, microbiology and health policy. Smaller numbers come from agriculture, veterinary sciences, pharmacology, rehabilitation sciences and behavioural sciences, indicating the areas where Pakistani research has gained the most international visibility.
The global top two percent list is compiled annually by researchers at Stanford University using Scopus-indexed publications, applying a composite indicator that accounts for total citations, h-index, authorship position and field-specific impact, allowing comparisons across disciplines and countries.
While citation-based rankings have limitations and do not capture teaching quality, policy influence or local impact, academics say the presence of 58 Pakistani scientists in the world’s top two percent is an encouraging sign for a research ecosystem often constrained by limited funding and infrastructure. Many believe that with sustained investment, stronger governance and clearer national research priorities, Pakistan’s footprint in global science rankings could expand significantly in the coming years.
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