A total of 1,034 scientists affiliated with Pakistani institutions have been included in the 2026 list of the world's top 2% scientists, highlighting the country's growing presence in international research.
The ranking, compiled by Stanford University and Elsevier, places Pakistan at 33rd position worldwide based on the number of researchers included in the single-year impact list.
Pakistan's representation has increased by 9.3% compared with 2025, when 946 scientists from Pakistani institutions appeared in the rankings. The number has also grown significantly since 2020, rising from 243 researchers to 1,034 in 2026.
Top 20 Pakistani Scientists in the 2026 Rankings
The following researchers are among the top 20 Pakistani scientists listed in the provided 2026 ranking, along with their institutional affiliations:
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Dr. Zulfiqar A. Bhutta — The Aga Khan University
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Muhammad Ashraf — University of Lahore
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Salim Shahbuddin Virani — The Aga Khan University
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Ayesha Kausar — National Center for Physics
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Muhammad Sajid — University of Management and Technology, Lahore
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Muhammad Akram — University of the Punjab
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Jawad Abbas — University of Central Punjab
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Tasawar Hayat — Quaid-i-Azam University
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Muhammad Qamar Bilal — Bacha Khan University
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Haroon Khan — Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan
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Faisal Zulfiqar — The Islamia University of Bahawalpur
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Rahmat Ellahi — International Islamic University, Islamabad
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Shah Fahad — Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan
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Muhammad Shahid Rizwan — Government College University Faisalabad
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Shafaqat M. Ali — Government College University Faisalabad
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Muhammad Ramzan Saeed Ashraf Janjua — Government College University Faisalabad
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Muhammad Bilal Tahir — Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology
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Muhammad Azam — Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan
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Abdur Rauf — University of Sahiwal
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Usman Mehmood — University of Management and Technology, Lahore
Which Pakistani University Has the Most Scientists?
Government College University Faisalabad leads Pakistani institutions in the 2026 single-year rankings, with 56 scientists included in the list.
The University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, ranks second with 50 researchers. These figures highlight the contribution of Pakistani universities to scientific research and academic publications.
321 Pakistani Scientists Recognized for Career-Long Research
In addition to the single-year rankings, 321 Pakistani scientists have been included in the career-long impact list.
Unlike the single-year ranking, this list recognizes researchers based on their cumulative scientific contributions over their careers. It provides another measure of the long-term impact of Pakistani researchers across different fields.
The inclusion of more than 1,000 researchers in the 2026 rankings reflects the expanding contribution of Pakistan's academic institutions to global research. However, inclusion in the list represents research impact under the ranking's methodology and does not necessarily indicate an overall ranking of scientific ability across all disciplines.
The complete list contains all 1,034 scientists affiliated with Pakistani institutions who were included in the 2026 single-year rankings.
