The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan has awarded a research grant of Rs9.97 million to Dr. Muhammad Tariq Zahid, an Assistant Professor and environmental molecular biologist at Government College University (GCU) Lahore, for a project on Modern approaches for industrial wastewater treatment.

The project, titled "Multi-Omics and Artificial Intelligence-Based Multidimensional Remediation for Industrial Wastewater," aims to address the escalating challenges of environmental pollution through a multidisciplinary lens. The initiative integrates biological, physical, chemical, and computational methodologies to develop sustainable, long-term solutions for treating industrial effluents.

Dr. Zahid recently returned to Pakistan following a prestigious two-year postdoctoral fellowship at Hanyang University in Seoul, South Korea. His research there focused on the toxicity and remediation of environmental pollutants under the mentorship of Professor Byong-Hun Jeon, a world-renowned authority in the field.

Speaking on the project’s scope, Dr. Zahid emphasized that the study is a collaborative effort involving a specialized team of experts. The research group includes Dr. Abdul-Sattar Nizami from the Sustainable Development Studies Centre, Dr. Muhammad Altaf from the Department of Chemistry, and Dr. Muhammad Wisal from the National University of Technology (NUTECH), Islamabad.

Dr. Zahid explained that by utilizing Modern approaches of Multi-Omics and Artificial Intelligence, the team aims to create a "smart roadmap" to neutralize industrial waste more efficiently. "This approach offers a homegrown, tech-driven solution to Pakistan’s critical water pollution crisis," he added.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Muhammad Omer Chaudhry lauded the achievement, noting that the grant is a significant step toward strengthening indigenous research capabilities in environmental biotechnology. He added that such projects are vital for addressing Pakistan’s industrial waste challenges through local innovation and high-level academic expertise.