PROFILE: Dr. Mehmood Khan, Pakistan’s first scientist to be granted Saudi citizenship

an undated file photo of Dr. Mehmood Khan. (Photo courtesy: Bloomberg)
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Updated 07 July 2024
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PROFILE: Dr. Mehmood Khan, Pakistan’s first scientist to be granted Saudi citizenship

  • Dr. Khan has served in key positions in corporate, medical and scientific fields in a career spanning three decades
  • Saudi Arabia has opened its citizenship to highly skilled professionals to attract and retain exceptional global talent

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani scientist Dr. Mehmood Khan this week became a member of a distinguished list of doctors, researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs from around the world who were granted Saudi citizenship, according to a list published by financial news portal Argaam.

An American national, Dr. Khan is currently the chief executive officer of the Hevolution Foundation, a non-profit organization that aims to increase the number of aging-related treatments, compress the timeline of drug development, and increase accessibility to therapeutics that extend a human lifespan.

A global non-profit organization headquartered in Riyadh with a North American hub, and an annual budget of up to $1 billion, Hevolution Foundation is the second largest geroscience funder with plans to open offices in other international locations. Geroscience is a field of biomedical research that seeks to understand how aging processes drive chronic diseases.

Dr. Khan was awarded Saudi citizenship after the kingdom opened its citizenship to highly skilled professionals as part of its Vision 2030, aiming to attract and retain exceptional global talent to enhance the kingdom’s economic and social development. A royal decree to this effect was issued in November 2021, allowing people belonging to specialized fields such as science, medicine, culture, sports and technology to apply for citizenship.

Dr. Khan, who earned his medical degree from the University of Liverpool Medical School in England, was also mentioned in the list of all the high achievers who received Saudi citizenship this week in Argaam. 

“So I grew up in England, actually haven’t had a chance to grow up in Pakistan,” Dr. Khan said during an interview in 2015 at OPEN Silicon Valley, an international organization of Pakistani entrepreneurs. “Proud to be Pakistani [though].” 

He advised budding corporate leaders and those aspiring to make a name for themselves in the medical field to take risks in life and pursue their passion. 

“Do take risks. Do not be afraid to take risks and do the best you can but pursue your passion,” he said. 

The Pakistani-American scientist has an impressive profile, having served in senior corporate and medical positions in a career spanning three decades. 

Dr. Khan has served as the chief executive officer at Life Biosciences Inc, vice chairman and chief scientific officer of global research and development at PepsiCo. from 2007-2019, and as the president of global research and development at renowned Japanese company, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, from 2003-2008.

He has served as director of the diabetes, endocrine and nutritional trials unit at the prestigious Mayo Clinic and Mayo Medical School from 2001-2003.

Dr. Khan is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and a fellow of the American College of Endocrinology as well.

He was the chairman of the US-Pakistan Business Council from 2016-2019 and continues to remain a board member of Reckitt Benckiser, a globally renowned British multinational consumer goods company.

Dr. Khan advised people aspiring to achieve senior positions in the corporate and medical fields to “reinvent” themselves.

“You cannot be the same that you were 30 years ago,” Dr. Khan told OPEN Silicon Valley. “If I was still doing what I learned 30 years ago, I couldn’t even practice medicine, let alone do what I do today.”


Pakistani soldier, 12 militants killed in counterterrorism operation in northwest — army

Updated 06 February 2025
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Pakistani soldier, 12 militants killed in counterterrorism operation in northwest — army

  • Ties between neighbors are strained over surge in militant attacks in Pakistan it blames on Afghanistan
  • Kabul’s Taliban rulers say Pakistan’s security issues a domestic concern, it does not harbor militants 

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani soldier and 12 militants were killed in a counterterrorism operation in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the Pakistan army said on Thursday, as it battles a surge in militancy across the country. 
Islamabad has frequently accused neighboring Afghanistan of sheltering and supporting militant groups that launch cross-border attacks amid a spike in militancy in its KP and Balochistan provinces. The Taliban government in Kabul says it does not allow Afghan soil to be used by militants, insisting Pakistan’s security issues are an internal matter for Islamabad.
“During intense fire exchange, Lance Naik Muhammad Ibrahim, having fought gallantly, paid the ultimate sacrifice and embraced shahadat,” the army’s media wing said in a statement about an intelligence operation it carried out in Hassan Khel in the North Waziristan District, neighboring Afghanistan.
Islamabad says it has consistently taken up the issue of cross-border attacks with the Taliban administration. The issue has also led to clashes between the border forces of the two countries on multiple occasions in recent months.
In December, the Afghan Taliban said bombardment by Pakistani military aircraft in Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province had killed at least 46 people, most of whom were children and women. Just days later, the Afghan defense ministry said Taliban forces targeted “several points” in neighboring Pakistan, further straining tense ties.
Relations between the two countries have also soured since Pakistan launched a deportation drive in November 2023 against illegal aliens residing in the country. Though Pakistan insists the campaign does not only target Afghans but all those residing in Pakistan unlawfully, it has disproportionately hit Afghans, with at least 800,000 repatriated so far.


China, Pakistan pledge to boost cooperation on infrastructure, mining projects

Updated 06 February 2025
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China, Pakistan pledge to boost cooperation on infrastructure, mining projects

  • President Asif Ali Zardari is visiting China from Feb. 4-8, where he will also attend the opening ceremony of Asian Winter Games
  • Chinese investment and financial support for Pakistan since 2013 have been a boon for South Asian nation’s struggling economy

HONG KONG: China and Pakistan will upgrade and reconstruct Pakistan’s railway network and further develop its Gwadar port, while Chinese companies can invest in the South Asian nation’s offshore oil and gas developments, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Thursday.
The comments came as Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari visits China from February 4-8, where he will also attend the opening ceremony of the Asian Winter Games.
Chinese investment and financial support for Pakistan since 2013 have been a boon for the South Asian nation’s struggling economy.
The two countries have had close ties underpinned by long-standing wariness of their common neighbor, India, and a desire to hedge against US influence across the region.
Pakistan and China recognized the importance of Pakistan’s “Gwadar Port and agreed to fully unleash its potential as a key node for connectivity and trade,” Xinhua said quoting a joint statement from the two countries.
Chinese-funded enterprises would be encouraged to “carry out mining investment cooperation in Pakistan” and cooperate in terrestrial and marine geological resources.
“Pakistan welcomes Chinese companies to participate in the development of offshore oil and gas resources in Pakistan.”
Longtime Pakistan ally China has thousands of nationals working on projects grouped under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The $65-billion investment is part of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative, designed to Beijing’s global reach by road, rail and sea.


Pakistan, China sign agreement for lunar mission in 2028

Updated 06 February 2025
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Pakistan, China sign agreement for lunar mission in 2028

  • Pakistan’s first lunar rover will be part of China’s Chang’E 8 robotic exploration of the lunar south pole
  • Last May, Pakistan launched its first lunar satellite aboard China’s Chang’e-6 probe of far side of the moon

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the former’s first lunar rover to be included in Beijing’s Chang’E 8 mission, the national space agency in Islamabad said.
The Chang’E 8 mission is a robotic exploration of the lunar south pole expected to launch in 2028. Last year, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), Pakistan’s space program, said its rover would land on the lunar south pole in 2028 as part of the Chang’ E 8 mission but a formal agreement has now been signed during a visit by President Asif Ali Zardari to China this week.
“Pakistan has made a significant leap in deep space exploration with the signing of a historic MoU between SUPARCO and the China National Space Administration,” the Pakistani agency said in a press release on Thursday.
Pakistan’s participation in the mission was a “milestone” in the country’s space program and its contribution to the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) initiative, the statement added.
“SUPARCO’s lunar rover will be deployed at the Moon’s south pole,” it said. “The rover will carry advanced scientific payloads developed by SUPARCO and an internationally designed scientific payload created through collaboration between Chinese and European scientists.”
The combined effort of Pakistan and China will enhance the mission’s capability to conduct an in-depth analysis of the lunar surface, the statement said, with Pakistani scientists able to operate the rover from Earth, map the lunar surface, study lunar soil composition, radiation levels and plasma properties and test new technologies for sustainable human presence.
Last May, Pakistan launched its first lunar satellite aboard China’s Chang’e-6 probe, which successful landed on the moon’s South Pole-Aitken Basin, an impact crater on the side of the Moon that always faces away from Earth. The mission returned to earth in June, making China the first to bring back samples from the moon’s far side.


Pakistan’s top IT bodies to host business forum event ahead of LEAP 2025 in Riyadh

Updated 06 February 2025
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Pakistan’s top IT bodies to host business forum event ahead of LEAP 2025 in Riyadh

  • P@SHA and PSEB will host networking dinner showcasing Pakistan’s tech innovations
  • This is fourth edition of LEAP, recognized as Saudi Arabia’s award-winning global tech event

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top IT bodies have teamed up to host a Pakistan x Saudi Business Forum networking event ahead of the LEAP Tech Conference being held in Riyadh from Feb. 9-12, the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) said in a press release on Thursday. 
This is the fourth edition of LEAP, recognized as Saudi Arabia’s award-winning global technology event for which entrepreneurs, investors and startups will converge in Riyadh to present their products to an anticipated audience of over 170,000 visitors. The platform offers cutting-edge technology showcases, B2B networking opportunities and expert-led conferences.
While Pakistan recorded the highest-ever monthly IT exports of $348 million, up by 15 percent year-on-year and 12 percent month-on-month, in December 2024, its IT sector growth is overshadowed by concerns over slowing Internet speed and a government-led digital crackdown, which authorities deny. 
“P@SHA and Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) will be collaboratively hosting an exclusive networking dinner, Pakistan x Saudi Business Forum, curated to connect leaders from the top tiers of government and industry,” P@SHA said in a press release on Thursday.
The event will provide a platform for “for key stakeholders to foster collaboration, explore business opportunities and strengthen ties within the vibrant Saudi market” and showcase Pakistan’s “diverse and thriving IT services exports, covering areas such as software development, AI, blockchain, health, FinTech, gaming and robotics.”
LEAP 2025 will for the first time introduce Tech Arena, a new platform for emerging innovations that will feature a ‘Live TV’ platform, offering real-time demonstrations and discussions hosted by BBC Click’s Lara Lewington and Spencer Kelly. Visitors will engage with innovations in AI, mixed reality, fashion technology, and brain-computer interfaces.
A key highlight will be Anouk Wipprecht’s Tech Couture exhibit, where robotic dress collections will integrate engineering with fashion. Adobe’s ‘Project Primrose’ will present digital dress technology, introducing dynamic textiles with adaptive designs. 
The Tech Arena will also showcase medical technology advancements, including Aramco-backed Terra Drone’s long-range medical delivery system, which aims to improve health care access in remote areas. Aramco will also introduce SARA (Saudi Aramco Robotics Assistant), an AI-driven assistant designed to enhance decision-making and streamline operations.
US-based Engine VR will present its Golden Gloves VR platform, which uses virtual reality for immersive boxing training. UFC fighter Andrew Sanchez will conduct live demonstrations, giving attendees the opportunity to experience the platform.
Alwaleed Philanthropies will present Atlai, an AI tool designed to monitor deforestation and support global conservation efforts. XPANCEO will showcase smart contact lenses that integrate computing power into a lightweight wearable device, offering new ways to interact with digital information.
The Tech Arena is one of two new segments introduced at LEAP 2025, alongside the SportsTech stage. These additions support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals of fostering innovation and technological growth.


After Imran Khan’s party, Jamaat-e-Islami announces protest on one-year-anniversary of general elections

Updated 06 February 2025
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After Imran Khan’s party, Jamaat-e-Islami announces protest on one-year-anniversary of general elections

  • Countrywide mobile network shutdown, delayed results led to allegations of manipulation in Feb. 8, 2024 election
  • Jamaat-e-Islami party to stage protest outside office of Election Commission of Pakistan in the port city of Karachi

ISLAMABAD: The chief of Pakistan’s Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on Thursday announced a “Black Day” and protests on the one-year anniversary of last year’s Feb. 8 general elections that the party says were rigged.
The national polls were marred by a countrywide shutdown of cellphone networks and delayed results, leading to widespread allegations of election manipulation by opposition parties like jailed ex-premier Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the JI headed by Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman.
The caretaker government which oversaw the electoral exercise and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) deny the charges, saying mobile networks were shut down to maintain law and order. The US House of Representatives and several European countries have called on Islamabad to open a probe into the allegations, a move that Pakistan has thus far rejected.
“JI will observe Youm-e-Siyah [Black Day] on Feb. 8 over the stolen mandate and rigged elections last year,” Rehman said at a press conference in Karachi. “We have planned to stage a protest outside the ECP office in Karachi and will observe the Youm-e-Siyah throughout the country.”
The JI party did not win any National Assembly seats in the general elections but managed to clinch two provincial seats in the Sindh Assembly and one in the Balochistan Assembly. 
On Jan. 20, PTI founder Khan also called on his supporters nationwide to stage protests on Feb. 8 against the rigging of the polls. He directed Ali Amin Gandapur, the chief minister of the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where the PTI is in power, to lead caravans from across the province for a public gathering in Peshawar, the provincial capital.
The PTI has also sought permission, yet to be granted by the local administration, to hold a political rally at Lahore’s Minar-e-Pakistan monument on Feb. 8.
Khan’s PTI candidates contested the Feb. 8 elections as independents after the party was barred from the polls. They won the most seats but fell short of the majority needed to form a government, which was made by a smattering of rival political parties led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.