PESHAWAR, Faculty members of the Khyber Medical College (KMC) and senior doctors Wednesday praised Prof Dr Jamilur Rahman for his meritorious services to the institution where he worked for over three decades on several positions and took an early retirement as department of Biochemistry chairman.

Dr Jamil joined KMC as a lecturer in 1979. During the last 31 years he remained an active faculty member and proved his mettle. In 1997, he became professor and chairman of the Biochemistry department. The academician served against various positions in the college and represented the doctors in the province and across the country.

The proud achievement of Dr Jamil was the initiation of the postgraduate medical studies programme in the college. He earned praise from the medical community for this feat, as doctors were enabled to pursue postgraduate studies in the province. He remained director of the programme till his retirement.

“The credit for starting MPhil courses in KMC goes to Dr Jamil as it was his initiative and determination and hard work which made this project possible,” said former principal of the college, Prof Fazal Ahmad.

Dr Jamil remained president of Pakistan Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He also served as president of Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter. He is nowadays president of Basic Medical Sciences Association, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He remained vice-principal, president KMC Teaching Association, chairman of the KMC Hiking club, literary society, editorial board of the college magazine Cenna, transport officer and chief proctor.

The faculty members of the college held a farewell function in his honour at the college auditorium. Teachers, senior professors, doctors, present and former principals of the college and students were present on the occasion.

Dr Fazal Ahmad said whenever a responsibility was entrusted to Dr Jamil, he proved himself the most suitable person for that position, be it chairmanship of the literary or hiking clubs, chief proctorship or in-charge of transport of the college.

“It was due to his efforts that the college magazine Cenna is today considered the best publication of any public sector institution,” he said. Dr Khalid Mufti, a former principal of Ayub Medical College lauded the services of Dr Jamil saying that he found him a very committed, professional and upright person who always worked for the welfare of his colleagues and students.

Dr Nargis Parveen, principal of the college, said it was a great pleasure working with Dr Jamil. She said his name would be remembered for long as he had played a significant role in making KMC one of the best institutions of the country.

Dr Ihteshamul Haq, Dr Inayatur Rehman Khalil, Dr Riaz Waseem, Dr Rashid Mehmood, Dr Hakeem Khan, Dr Ghulam Sarwar, Dr Mudasir Ahmad, Dr Ijaz Hassan, Dr Nisar, Dr Zahid Hussain, Dr Liaqat Ali, Dr Mian Ihsan and others spoke on the occasion and eulogized the efforts of Dr Jamil.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Jamilur Rehman said it was a difficult moment to say goodbye to an institution where he had spent over three decades of his life, first as a student and then as a teacher. He said he had worked for basic medical sciences and would continue the same in future. He said during his service he always worked with sincerity and never budged from his principles.