Hanif Quazi

Hanif Quazi’s story encompasses highly significant scientific contributions to plant science in New Zealand, where he worked for many years after graduation from Lincoln and completion of a post-doctoral fellowship in the United Kingdom, as well as in his home country of Pakistan.

Professor Quazi came to Lincoln College from Pakistan in 1967 with honours degrees from the University of Peshawar. He was awarded a Commonwealth Research Fellowship and commenced PhD studies under Professor of Plant Science Reinhart Langer. Hanif has made a major contribution to agricultural and plant sciences both in New Zealand and Pakistan. He has developed, virus-free seed potato, aphid resistant fodder rape, thorn-less loganberry and pioneered in-vitro culture of lavender at the Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR) Lincoln. The scientist Quazi was challenged by the Chaplin to provide an Islamic burial to a patient who had died in the Christchurch hospital. The experience persuaded Hanif to become an agent of change by forming Muslims community organisations, building the Masjid Al-Noor mosque in Christchurch, and lobbying for global halal food trade. The social awareness and the novel crop improvement techniques introduced by Hanif have since accrued huge economic dividends in New Zealand and abroad.

In his work can be seen the transfer of many New Zealand-based technologies to the Pakistan context. These range from specific plant science examples to models of social and community services. Complementing his contributions to academia and the scientific community, Hanif Quazi has used his experience and wisdom to benefit poor farming communities in a number of ways using practical ‘Kiwi’ insight into problems to get results. This combination of Pakistani and Kiwi methods has been a potent formula for advancing human betterment.

Professor Quazi has published his work widely. His scientific papers have appeared in reviewed journals overseas such as; Annals of Botany published from Oxford; TAG-Theoretical and Applied Genetics from Berlin and Euphytica Springer Verilog from the Hague. He has co-authored a couple of books on Food Insecurity in the Muslim World and has recently published his autobiography entitled Hybrid of Peace.’

Dr Quazi and his wife Razia live in Palmerston North.

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