KARACHI: BIONIKS, a Karachi-based startup specializing in orthotics and prosthetics, has launched a mobile AI-powered limb factory in Gaza to provide customized prosthetic arms and legs to amputees in the conflict-stricken region, the company announced in its newsletter on Wednesday.
The company, established in 2016, announced the initiative as part of its commitment to creating an inclusive world by leveraging cutting-edge technology to transform lives.
The mobile factory is equipped with advanced artificial intelligence tools to design and produce prosthetic limbs, enabling on-site assistance in underserved areas.
“We believe technology has the power to transform lives,” BIONIKS said in a statement. “By taking advanced prosthetic solutions directly to those in need, we aim to restore independence, mobility, and dignity to individuals affected by conflict and hardship.”
The initiative comes as Gaza grapples with a dire humanitarian crisis since the beginning of Israel’s military campaign in October 2023. BIONIKS said it hoped the factory would act as a lifeline for amputees by providing accessible and innovative solutions in regions where resources are limited.
BIONIKS gained international attention in 2021 when it provided a multi-grip bionic arm to four-year-old Mohammed Sideeq, making him the youngest recipient of such a prosthetic limb.
The startup’s co-founder, Anas Niaz, said designing the arm for a child so young was unprecedented.
“No one in the world has ever made a bionic arm for such a young age,” Niaz told Arab News in 2021. “We knew this was nearly impossible, but Mohammed had high hopes to get a bionic arm.”
The lightweight and durable arm allowed Sideeq to resume daily activities, including playing and buttoning his shirt, showcasing BIONIKS’ commitment to blending innovation with functionality.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s military on Thursday announced it had accepted the mercy petitions of 19 convicts involved in the May 9, 2023, violence, granting remission of their punishments “purely on humanitarian grounds,” according to an official statement.

Last month, a military court sentenced 85 civilians to prison terms ranging from two to ten years for their roles in the riots, during which supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan were accused of attacking military facilities.

The violence, sparked by Khan’s brief arrest in a corruption case, saw hundreds storming military and government installations, including the torching of a top commander’s house.

The trials, held under the Pakistan Army Act, included convictions of two former military officers, Brig. (retired) Javed Akram and Captain (retired) Viqas Ahmed Mohsin, as well as Khan’s nephew, Hassan Khan Niazi.

The military had initiated trials for over 100 individuals following the violence.

“A total of 67 convicts have given their mercy petitions,” the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said in its statement. “48 petitions have been processed to Courts of Appeal, while petitions of 19 convicts have been accepted purely on humanitarian grounds, in accordance with the law.”

“Mercy petitions of the remaining will be decided in due course of time, following the legal process,” it added.

The military shared a list of the individuals whose petitions had been approved, adding that they would be released after completing procedural formalities.

The trials and convictions raised concerns that Khan himself could face prosecution under the Pakistan Army Act, with charges including treason and inciting mutiny in the military.

The former premier, jailed for over a year, has denied these allegations and multiple other charges, describing them as politically motivated attempts to sideline him from power.

Khan, however, faces accusations of orchestrating the May 9 riots, a claim he has consistently rejected. He remains imprisoned in a high-security facility in Rawalpindi.

“The remission of punishments is a testament to the strength of the due process and fairness, which ensures that justice is served while also taking into account the principles of compassion and mercy,” the ISPR said.

It also noted the military had released 20 convicts last year in April on humanitarian grounds and in accordance with law.