Academic Programs

Head of Department: Prof. Dr. Seema Mahmood
Official WhatsApp No.: WhatsApp: +92-312-7272005
Official Contact No.: +92-61-9210071 Ext. 2525; +92-61-92100393
Official Email Address: botany@bzu.edu.pk
Departmental Student Advisor: Prof. Dr. Ahmed Akrem (DSA for male students), Dr. Sibgha Noreen (DSA for female students)
Departmental Examination Incharge: Dr. Ghulam Yasin

The Botany Division started functioning in 1984 as part of the Institute of Pure and Applied Biology (IP&AB) under the leadership of renowned Botanist and founder director, Prof. Dr. Mumtaz Hussain Bukhari (late). In 2022 the IP&AB was dissolved and the Botany Division was upgraded as the ‘Institute of Botany (IoB)’ lead by the director, Prof. Dr. Seema Mahmood.

Vision: We are dedicated to sublime excellent traditions in teaching, innovative research strengthening of knowledge in the field of Botany. It is committed to provide conducive environment and learning opportunities to the students and faculty to achieve academic and career goals.

Mission: Our core mission is to inspire and inculcate a culture of creativity, critical thinking and a scientific approach to address emerging challenges to the plant sciences. We aim to foster demand-driven and need based research to develop impactful, professional and successful human resource.

The Institute, at present, is offering several academic & research programs which include BS 4-Years Morning & Evening, Post-ADS 2-Years Morning & Evening, M.Phil. 2-Years Evening & Weekend and PhD (Morning) in the subject of Botany. In addition to these regular programs, some short courses for theoretical & practical professional training are being offered time to time.

The Institute has the facilities of furnished Class Rooms equipped with audio-video aid, good standard Class-Practical Laboratories, well equipped Research Laboratories, Herbarium, Greenhouse, Wire-net houses and Experimental fields at the Botanic Garden for research/practical purpose. An adequate collection of textbooks, reference books and research journals are available in the Library of the Institute covering various disciplines of Botany. These books are also available to the students from Book Bank of the University on loan basis. High speed internet facility is also available at the institute.

The institute has a bunch of highly qualified teaching faculty and research scientists including 04 Professors, 03 Associate Professors, 02 Assistant Professors and 01 Lecturer. Most of them have their PhD & PostDoc from abroad and are highly skilled in teaching and research.

The institute has following Research Laboratories with ongoing (significantly High Impact and Pure & Applied) Research Projects funded by Local, National & International Agencies such as HEC, PSF, USAID, etc: Ecophysiology & Evolutionary Botany Research Laboratory, Plant Physiology & Photosynthesis Research Laboratory, Plant Proteomics Laboratory, Plant Hormones Research Laboratory, Molecular Plant-Microbe Interaction Laboratory, Phytochemistry Research Laboratory and Plant Genetics Research Laboratory.

The Institute shares its research activities with other leading scientific institutions within the country and abroad (Australia, Austria, China, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey, UK and USA) through collaborative research programs. 

It is pertinent to mention that faculty members of the institute have published hundreds of research articles in national, foreign and impact factor bearing journals. Additionally, several books, chapters in edited books and patents are in credit to faculty members.

The institute organizes several one day study tours to visit different Industries, Agriculture Farms, Natural & man-made Forests, National Parks and Fields with different soil types and climate. It also organizes an annual long tour in summer to visit Northern areas to study climate, environment and soil and vegetation types. The institute holds Annual Dinner and Annual Bestival on regular basis (Fun Fair and Sports & Academic Competitions) to groom up the extra-curricular skills of the students. 

The institute has an active alumni association, ZAB- The Zakariyan Association of Botanists that is committed in promoting Botany and to linkage among current students and the alumni of the institutes. The ZAB holds annual meetings and organizes several training workshops, seminars and symposia along with certain outreach programs.

The graduates of this institute have excellent career opportunities in Education Sector (Schools/Colleges/Universities), Research Sector (Universities & Research Institutes/Organizations/Companies/Industries), Agriculture, Forest Department, Civil Service through Public Service Commission Competitive Examinations such as PPSC, FPSC, PMS, DMG, CSS, etc.; in Security and Rescue departments as well as in Armed Forces. They are also provided with the skills of Entrepreneurship to start their own business/company/firm/industry, etc.