Turbat University’s Dr. Zafar Ali Completes PhD, Discovers New Mazari Palm Species in Makran

Independent Report

TURBAT, Dec 07: Dr. Zafar Ali, Chairman of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Turbat, has completed his PhD from the National Centre of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh Jamshoro, achieving several notable milestones in scientific research during the course of his doctoral studies.

Dr. Ali’s research output includes multiple peer-reviewed articles, review papers, letters to the editor and a book chapter published in well-regarded international journals. He has also filed a patent for an oil exceptionally rich in capric acid—an achievement that adds significant scientific and commercial value to his research portfolio.

In a landmark botanical discovery, Dr. Ali identified a new species of the Mazari palm in the Kulbar mountain range of Tump, Makran. The finding was made in collaboration with Dr. Aamir Sultan, Director of the Pakistan National Herbarium, and globally recognised palm taxonomist Dr. John Dransfield of the Royal Botanic Gardens, UK. The research has been published in the prestigious Springer Nature journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, providing international validation of the discovery.

The new species has been named Nannorrhops balochistanica, honouring its origin in Balochistan. It is only the second known species in the Nannorrhops genus, making it a rare and valuable addition to global plant taxonomy.

The Vice Chancellor of Turbat University, Prof. Dr. Gul Hassan, faculty members and administrative staff congratulated Dr. Ali, expressing confidence that his expertise will continue to elevate the university’s research standards.