Dr. Zafar Ali Completes PhD with Groundbreaking Discovery of New Palm Species in Makran
Posted on 04 Dec, 2025 - Published by
Dr. Zafar Ali, Chairman of the Chemistry Department, University of Turbat (UoT), has completed his PhD. degree from the National Center of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry (NCEAC), University of Sindh, Jamshoro.
During his Ph.D., Dr. Zafar Ali published several scientific works, including Letters to the Editors, Book Chapters, Review Papers, and Research Articles in well-reputed international journals. He has also filed a patent related to a novel, capric-acid-rich oil, demonstrating the innovative and applied potential of his research in analytical and natural product chemistry.
One most remarkable accomplishment during his research work is the discovery of a new palm tree species from the Kulbar Mountain Range of Makran, Balochistan. (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10722-024-02282-y)
This important discovery was made in collaboration with Dr. Amir Sultan, Director of the Pakistan National Herbarium (PARC), and Dr. John Dransfield, a world-renowned palm taxonomist from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK. These findings have been published in the journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution by Springer Nature, marking an important recognition of this research in the global scientific community.
The newly identified species, Nannorrhops baluchistanica, is named for its origin in Balochistan, highlighting the region as its natural and unique habitat. It is the second species ever recorded in the genus Nannorrhops, which previously included only Nannorrhops ritchiana. This discovery has thus added an entirely new species to the botanical world, representing a significant contribution to plant taxonomy and biodiversity research.
The UoT Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Gul Hasan, along with the entire university fraternity, congratulated Dr. Zafar Ali on his outstanding academic achievement. Acknowledging his hard work, the Vice Chancellor expressed the hope that Dr. Zafar Ali would utilize his research expertise and scholarly wisdom in the university’s efforts to promote
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Turbat, Prof. Dr. Gul Hasan, along with the entire university fraternity, congratulated Dr. Zafar Ali on his outstanding academic achievement. Acknowledging his hard work, the Vice Chancellor expressed hope that Dr. Ali would utilize his research expertise and scholarly acumen to further strengthen the culture of high-quality research at the institution.
