Waqas Khan has been honoured with the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz by the Government of Pakistan, awarded by the President of Pakistan and presented by the Governor of Punjab, in recognition of his contribution to art and his role in representing Pakistan internationally through his artistic practice.

The national honour recognises his continued work in expanding the presence of Pakistani contemporary art on the global stage and acknowledges his contribution to culture, creativity and artistic excellence.

Khan is known for large-scale minimalist drawings described as contemplations that leave visible evidence on paper. He uses small dashes and minuscule dots to create entanglements where particle-sized units converge, dissipate or displace. The forms maintain rhythmic harmony, with marks that sync regardless of distance.

His practice explores ideas of unity and togetherness, as well as incongruencies and vulnerabilities, while engaging with space and time. His exhibitions are described as meticulously curated, with careful attention to scale, colour and lighting, giving the works an experiential quality. Installed in curated environments, the works are intended to evoke stillness, reflection, pathos and catharsis through forms constructed with the tip of a pen.

Recent exhibitions include Take Up, Take a Breath at the Irish Museum of Modern Art, curated by Mary Cremin; In the Night at the Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art; and Fear Nothing, She Says at the National Museum of Sculpture, curated by Rosa Martínez.

Other exhibitions include Doublethink: Doublevision at the Pera Museum, curated by Alistair Hicks, Tania Bahar and Begüm Akkoyunlu; Decor at Villa Empain, curated by Tino Sehgal, Dorothea von Hantelmann and Asad Raza; Between Structure and Matter: Other Minimal Futures at Aicon Gallery, curated by Murtaza Vali; and the Dhaka Art Summit, curated by Diana Campbell-Betancourt.

In 2013, he was shortlisted for the Jameel Prize at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

His works are held in public and institutional collections, including the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Deutsche Bank Collection, the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, the Devi Art Foundation, the Saudi Arabia Museum of Contemporary Art, Manchester Art Gallery and The Whitworth.

Khan is also co-founder of Nathuu, a social initiative focused on art education and creative engagement for children across Pakistan, particularly those from difficult socio-economic backgrounds.