Pakistani Professor Wins ‘Muslim Noble Prize’

ISLAMABAD: Prof. Dr Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, Director of the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) at the University of Karachi (KU), was recently given the 2021 Mustafa Prize Laureate title for his contributions to the field of bio-organic chemistry.

The Mustafa Prize, a prestigious award for science and technology, is presented biennially to the top Muslim researchers and scientists in four sets: Life and Medical Science and Technology, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Information and Communication Science and Technology, and all other areas of science and technology.

According to a news report, the prize was conceived in 2012 to represent scientific excellence internationally and is considered the Nobel Prize of the Muslim world.

Scientists from Pakistan, Iran, Bangladesh, Lebanon and Morocco have been awarded the 2021 Mustafa Prize. According to the Mustafa Prize website, the laureates in each category will be granted $500,000, a medal and a certificate.

Prof. Dr Iqbal Choudhary is a medicinal chemist known worldwide as an expert in his field. He has written 1,175 research papers in organic and bio-organic chemistry in international journals, 76 books and 40 chapters in books published by major western presses. He has also secured 40 patents based in the US.

Dr Iqbal, who holds DSc, PhD, and CChem degrees, has been awarded the Hilal-e-Imtiaz, the Sitara-e-Imtiaz and the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz.

The Academy of Sciences has awarded him a fellowship for the Developing World, Islamic World Academy of Sciences, Pakistan Academy of Sciences, Royal Society of Chemistry, and Chemical Society of Pakistan.

Prof Iqbal has previously been honoured by the president of Iran with the Khwarizmi International Award; president of Azerbaijan with the ECO Award in Education; and the prime minister of Pakistan with COMSTECH Award in Chemistry.

The Higher Education Commission gave him the prestigious title of distinguished national professor in 2004 and a respected professor by the University of Karachi in 2013.