SPECIAL COMMUNICATION

HISTORY OF NISHTAR MEDICAL COLLEGE, MULTAN

Professor Abdul Hameed Anjum

The idea of establishing a medical teaching institution in Multan was first forwarded by Dr. Mohammad Jamal Bhutta in 1945. At that time, there was only one medical college in Punjab, that is, the King Edward Medical College in Lahore. The ratio of Muslim students in this college was very low. After the birth of Pakistan on the 14th of August, 1947, the Hindu doctors migrated to India. There was need for more doctors for the health care of people. The government of the Punjab decided to establish a new medical college and hospital at Multan. On 31st December 1950, at a largely attended public meeting held at Lahnge Khans Garden adjoining the Civil Hospital Multan, the Governor of the Punjab Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar made the announcement of the decision by the government of Punjab to establish a medical college and hospital at Multan. It was named as Nishtar Medical College and Hospital to honor Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar. A donation of 1.815 million rupees was presented to the governor by the people of Multan for the construction of the college. This donation increased to 3.3 million rupees later on. The Names to Remember: Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar laid the foundation stone of the college on 28th April 1951.
Nishtar Medical College & Hospital, Multan. Correspondence: Professor Abdul Hameed Anjum Department of Medicine Unit I hameed@brain.net.pk

The construction work for the college started on 10th July 1951, when the ground was first broken to dig up the foundation on the south west corner of the Anatomy department. The eminent names of founders of Nishtar are: 1. Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar The Governor of Punjab 2. Dr. Mohammad Jamal Bhutta Founder Principal responsible for planning, development, organization and administration of Nishtar Medical College 3. Dr. Colonel S. M. K. Mallick Director General Health Services, Punjab 4. Mr. Inyat Ullah Khan 5. Mr. Inam Ullah khan Superintendenting Engineer, Buildings department 6. Mr. Ismail Shah Executive Engineer 7. Mr. Allauddin Arshad Secretary, Medical and Local Government, Government of the Punjab 8. Mr.Habib J. Somjee Architect for the college building 9. Mr. Murat Khan Architect for the hospital building ( I.U. Khan ) Commissioner, Multan division

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The Start of Teaching: The college was formally inaugurated at 9.00 a.m. on 1st October 1951. Dr. Mohammad Jamal Bhutta was appointed the first principal of the Nishtar Medical College and the first Medical superintendent of Nishtar Hospital. Initially 52 male students were admitted in the first year M.B.B.S class. The teaching started at the Civil Hospital Multan, while the construction work was going on rapidly at the present site of Nishtar Medical College. The uniforms for the students of Nishtar included Grey Jinnah caps, white shirts, khaki pants, black shoes and white coats. Dr. Muhammad Jamal Bhutta designed the flag, the crest and the motto of Nishtar Medical College. The Nishtar Flag has a red stripe added to the Pakistan Flag. The crest has the surgical lancet or Nishtar as the centre piece of the crest. This also indicates the name of the college. The crescent and star (the Islamic logo) are shown in the right hand upper corner of the crest. The dome of a mosque with a date palm in the upper left corner symbolizes Multan. The symbolic five rivers are included in the crest to indicate Punjab. The First Faculty: The details of first clinical faculty is as follows: PROFESSOR / SPECIALIST 1. Dr. M.H. Toosy 2. Dr. M. J. Bhutta 3. Dr. Mohammad Ibrahim 4. Dr. Nazeer-ud- Din Ahmad 5. Dr. M. A. Farooqui 6. Dr. Abdul Majeed Khan

In the second batch, co-education at Nishtar Medical College started and 64 students including 6 female students were admitted. The first batch of M.B.B.S of NMC students appeared in the 1st professional M.B.B.S examination in May 1953. Mr. Abdul Haleem of Nishtar Medical College stood first in the University of Punjab and gained distinction in Anatomy. The third place was also captured by a Nishtar student. This was source of great honor and encouragement to the staff and students of the youngest medical college in the country The teaching in Pathology started at the present site of the department in 1953.Professor Drennan of the Pathology Department of University of Edinburgh provided more than six thousands histopathology slides for teaching of Nishtar students. For the classes of the Pharmacology the department of physiology was shared till the end of 1954 when the Pharmacology department was shifted to its present place. Dr. Nazeer-ud-Din Ahmad was appointed the first professor of Pharmacology. The first annual Final Professional M.B.B.S examination was held in May 1956.

DEPARTMENT Anatomy Physiology Physiology & Biochemistry Pharmacology Pathology Pathology

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7. Dr. Abdul Aziz 8. Dr.Mohammad Alamgir Khan 9. Dr. N.A. Sial 10. Dr. A.A. Wyne 11. Dr. Abdul Ghani 12. Dr. Mohammad Akhtar Khan 13. Dr. Mohammad Shafi 14. Dr. Khurshid Begum 15. Dr. Sardar Ahmad 16. Dr. Shaukat Raza 17. Dr. Maryam Khatoon The Following Departments Were Added Later On: 1. Dr. Ghulam Qadir Malik 2. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Baluch The College Building: The college building is in the form of double story quadrangle. The south wing has Anatomy department on the ground floor and Physiology and Biochemistry departments on the first floor. At the basement of anatomy department, there were lockers for the students, which have been changed to classrooms. In the eastern part of the basement, there is mortuary. The west wing of the college has Anatomy Museum, Department of Medical Education, and the Assembly Hall on the ground floor and college Guest House, Community Medicine department, Museum of Community Medicine, and Museum of Pharmacology department on the first floor. The North Wing has the Staff Club, Pathology Department and Blood Bank on the ground floor and Library and Pharmacology department on the first floor.

Tuberculosis and chest diseases Medicine Gynecology and obstetrics Surgery ENT Medicine Eye Anaesthesia Radiology Pediatric Medicine Radiotherapy Community Medicine Forensic Medicine The East Wing has department of Forensic Medicine, Museum of Forensic Medicine, and Pathology Museum on the ground floor; and on the first floor are Pathology, Physiology, Biochemistry Laboratories and Examination Hall. The lawns of College Quadrangle and Rose Garden on its south are lush green, beautiful and give a memorable pleasing view to the eyes. A new college auditorium was built in 199091. It was named as Hayat Zafar Auditorium to honor the longest (14 years) serving Principal of Nishtar, Dr. Mohammad Hayat Zafar. It is located to the west of Rose Garden and south of tennis courts. The Hostels: The old hostels Ibne-Sina Hall, The Razi Hall and Qasim Hall were named after the names of great Muslin Physicians Bu-Ali-Ibne-Sina,

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Muhammad ibn Zakariya Al Razi, and Abul Qasim Zahravi respectively. Ibne-Sina hall was completed and occupied in the beginning of 1953.Makhdoom Alamdar Hussain Gilani formally inaugurated it on 28th April 1953.Second hostel Razi Hall was completed in September 1953 and Qasim Hall later on. The construction of Nishtar Mosque to the south of Qasim Hall was completed in 1959. Each of these halls has accommodation for 117 boarders, 103 in single seated rooms, 12 in four three seated rooms and 4 in two seated rooms. Each Hall has a bachelors flat for an assistant warden. The girls hostel Rafidah Hall was named after great muslim lady physician who cared for the sick and injured during the time of the Holy Principals:

Prophet (Peace be upon him). It was completed in 1970. Tariq Hall (for 100 girls) and Iqbal Hall (for 167 boys) are new hostels. Another hostel has been added for stay of house officers and is named after the first principal, Jamal Bhutta Hall. Nishtar Hospital: On 1st October 1953 Nishtar Hospital started functioning at civil hospital building. Presently, the clinical training of medical college students is carried out at 1103 bedded Nishtar Hospital which is attached to Nishtar Medical College, Multan. The hospital is equipped with all the modern diagnostic facilities including CT scan and MRI. Hospital also has a nursing school, public health nursing school and postgraduate nursing college.

The following are the names of principals of the Nishtar Medical College, Multan since its inception up to now: Principals: 1. Dr. M.J. Bhutta 2. Dr. M.H. Toosy Chairman Academic Council: 3. Dr. M.H. Toosy 4. Lt. Col. Najib Khan 5. Dr. Mohammad Ibrahim 6. Dr. Nazeer-ud-Din Ahmad Principals: 7. Dr. Nazeer-ud-Din Ahmad 8. Dr. Gulzar Ahmad 9. Dr. Abdul Hameed Khan 10. Dr. Mohammad Hyat Zafar 11. Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad 03-03-1971 30-03-1971 21-08-1972 01-02-1975 01-05-1989 29-03-1971 20-08-1972 31-01-1975 30-04-1989 05-06-1993 06-09-1960 17-12-1960 14-06-1963 12-04-1966 30-11-1960 13-09-1963 11-04-1966 02-03-1971 From 01-10-1951 04-01-1959 To 03-01-1957 01-04-1959

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12. Dr. Iftikhar Ali Raja 13. Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad 14. Dr. Shabbir Ahmad Nasir 15. Dr. Abdul Wahid Qazi 16. Dr. Shabbir Ahmad Nasir 17. Dr. Munawwar Zaheen Ashraf 18. Dr. Shabbir Ahmad Nasir 19. Dr. Tariq Iqbal Bhuta 20. Dr. Shabbir Ahmad Nasir 21. Dr. Ashiq Pervez Principal Executive Officer: 22. Dr. Ashiq Pervez 23. Dr. Shabbir Ahmad Nasir Principals: 24. Dr. Shabbir Ahmad Nasir 25. Dr. Laiq Hussain Siddiqui Courses and Affiliations: The college started functioning under its affiliation with Punjab University, Lahore. In 1979, it was affiliated with Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan and in 2003 it was affiliated with University of Health Sciences, Lahore. Besides teaching M.B.B.S students, Nishtar is also training FCPS, MCPS, MD, and MS students. It is also offering postgraduate training for the diplomas of DA, DO, DCP, DCH and DGO. In 1973 a dental section was added to Nishtar Medical College in the outpatient department for BDS degree. On 25th October 2008 the Dental College shifted to its newly constructed building at Jail Road near the regional office of College of Physicians & Surgeons Pakistan.

06-06-1993 21-05-1995 20-03-1996 24-03-1996 01-04-1996 05-05-1997 04-06-1998 16-07-1998 25-12-2000 06-09-2001 16-02-2002 21-09-2002 15-09-2003 04-01-2006

21-05-1995 19-03-1996 24-03-1996 31-03-1996 05-05-1997 02-06-1998 16-07-1998 24-12-2000 05-09-2001 16-02-2002 20-09-2002 14-09-2003 31-12-2005 to date

B.Sc. (Honors) classes in Allied Health Sciences have also been started in Nishtar Medical College, Multan in the subjects of optometry and orthoptics, medical imaging technology, medical laboratory technology, dental technology and emergency and intensive care sciences. Nishtar Graduates: Up to session 2007-2008, the total number of graduates qualifying from Nishtar Medical College in M.B.B.S and B.D.S is 9517 and 867 respectively. Nishtar graduates are serving all over the country and in many countries abroad with outstanding performance. Nishtarians have been and are serving as principal in most of the medical institutions in the country. Some of the outstanding names including the past and the present are:

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Nishtarians 1. Dr. Haider Bokhari 2. Dr. Noor Ahmad Noor 3. Dr. Jamil Akhtar 4. Dr. Mohammad Nawaz 5. Dr. Naseemullah 6. Dr. Mohammad Iqbal Khan 7. Dr. Iftikhar Ali Raja 8. Dr. Eice Mohammad 9. Dr. Anees Mahju 10. Dr. Munawwar Zaheen 11. Dr. Abdul Wahid Qazi 12. Dr. Ashiq Pervez 13. Dr. Shabbir Ahmad Nasir 14. Dr. Abdul Jan Jaffar 15. Dr. Akbar Choudhry 16. Dr. Laiq Hussain Siddiqui 17. Dr. Mazhar-ul- Haque Attique 18. Dr. Faisal Masood 19. Dr. Farrukh Zaman 20. Dr. Asghar Randhawa 21. Dr. Ali Ajwad Jaffary 22. Maj. Gen. (R) Muhammad Aslam 23. Dr. Muhammad Saeed

Principal Khyber Medical College Quaid-i-Azam Medical College Rawalpindi Medical College Rawalpindi Medical College Rawalpindi Medical College Quaid-i-Azam Medical College Nishtar Medical College K.E Medical College Allama Iqbal Medical College Sheikh Zayed Medical College Punjab Medical College Punjab Medical College Nishtar Medical College Nishtar Medical College Nishtar Medical College Nishtar Medical College Bolan Medical College Fatima Jinnah Medical College Nishtar Medical College Quaid-i-Azam Medical College Services Institute of Medical Sciences Post Graduate Medical Institute Punjab Medical College Quaid-i-Azam Medical College Shifa College of Medicine Sheikh Zayed Medical College

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Professor Zafarullah Choudhry, the president of College of Physicians and Surgeons, Pakistan is also a Nishtar graduate. Professor Jaleel-ud-Dola and Professor Rashid Latif are eminent sons of Nishtar at Lahore Professor Mehmood Choudhry has been the chairman of University of Health Sciences. Professor Tahir Shafi and Professor Anwar Ahmad Khan are at higher posts in Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore. Dr. Rafaqat Hussain Jaffary and Dr. Durr-e-Sabih are serving as director, Nuclear Medical Centre at Islamabad and Multan respectively.

Lt. Gen. Dr. Saleem, Lt. Gen. Dr. Karamat, Maj. Gen. Dr. Tasawar Hussain, and Brigadier Dr. Luqman are a few examples out of many Nishtarians who have served or are serving on command posts in Pakistan Army. Silver and Golden Jubilee Nishtar Medical College, Multan celebrated its Silver Jubilee in 1978 and Golden Jubilee in 2001. The government of Pakistan issued a commemorative postal stamp on 20th December 2001 to celebrate the Golden Jubilee (1951-2001) of Nishtar Medical College.

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