CEREMONY IN THE HONOUR OF PRO-VICE CHANCELLOR, FJMU, AND ACTING PRINCIPAL, FJMC, FOR THEIR REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

A grand ceremony was held at Fatima Jinnah Medical University, Lahore, under the kind Patronage of Health Minister Punjab, Dr. Javed Akram, to honour the Pro Vice Chancellor, Professor Kamran Khalid Khawaja, and the Acting Principal/ Chairperson Medicine/ Dean of Nursing/ Director Quality Enhancement Cell, Professor Bilquis Shabbir, for their remarkable achievements.

Health Minister Punjab, Dr. Javed Akram, graced the occasion as Chief Guest. The ceremony began with the recitation from the Holy Quran.

In the beginning, a documentary on the academic achievements of Professor Bilquis Shabbir was presented. She has been recommended for the Presidential Pride of Performance. Professor Bilquis Shabbir said that this success is due to the grace of Allah Almighty, the prayers of my beloved parents, and my mentor, the Worthy Vice Chancellor Professor Khalid Masood Gondal. She further said that Dr. Javed Akram is my teacher too, and I have learned a lot from him.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Khalid Masood Gondal expressed his views. He said that the reasons behind the recommendation of Prof. Bilquis Shabbir for the Civil Award “Presidential Pride of Performance” include her dedicated efforts for the establishment of the Telemedicine Department at King Edward Medical University, her unprecedented efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Rehabilitation of flood-affected areas of Pakistan. Former Governor of Punjab, Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar and Prof Dr. Javed Akram, are credited with establishing telemedicine departments in various institutions across Punjab. It is with the blessings of Prof Dr. Javed Akram that Fatima Jinnah Medical University has been awarded two National Awards (the Best University Teacher Award and the Presidential Pride of Performance) within a week.

Punjab Health Minister Dr. Javed Akram expressed his views. He said that my heartiest congratulations go to Professor Kamran Khalid Khawaja and Professor Bilquis Shabbir. Both Prof. Kamran Khalid Khawaja and Prof. Bilquis Shabbir are my students, and today I am proud of their success, and I pray that Allah Almighty grants both of them success in the world and hereafter. He further said that a leader has the quality of turning difficult times into activity. He also announced the establishment of the Health Informatics Department, which will be approved at the upcoming meeting of the Syndicate. Special training for Health Professionals will be conducted under the Health Informatics Programme, and Level IV programmes will be launched. Fatima Jinnah Medical University will lead the 2-year Health Informatics Programme, headed by Prof. Bilquis Shabbir. He further said that workshops would also be organised on Health Leadership.

He emphasised that the Best University Teacher Award should be organised at the Institutional Level as well, which is necessary for the motivation of the teachers.

On this joyous occasion, a cake was also cut at Fatima Jinnah Medical University for Prof. Kamran Khalid Khawaja, who received the Best University Teacher Award, and Prof. Bilquis Shabbir, who was nominated for the Presidential Pride of Performance.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Khalid Masood Gondal prayed for the accomplishment, development, and prosperity of the nation and the success of this world and the hereafter. On this occasion, Fatima Jinnah Medical University Registrar Prof. Dr. Muhammad Nadeem, Deans Prof. Naveed Akbar Hotiana, Prof. Aliya Zahid, and other faculty members participated.

At the end of the ceremony, Dr. Javed Akram, along with Prof. Dr. Khalid Masood Gondal, also inaugurated the new Arthroscopy and Sports Injury Clinic in the Orthopaedic Department of Fatima Jinnah Medical University/ Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and announced the start of the MS Programme in Sports Medicine.