Dr Bashir retires after remarkable career

PESHAWAR: Prof Dr Bashir Ahmad, a distinguished psychiatrist and head of Psychiatry Department at the Khyber Medical College and Khyber Teaching Hospital, retired after a remarkable career spanning several decades.

Prof Bashir Ahmad’s academic qualifications include an MBBS from Khyber Medical College, DPM from Punjab University, FCPS in Psychiatry from CPSP Karachi, and postgraduate diplomas in CBT from King’s College London and Medical Education from Oxford University.

Throughout his career, Prof Bashir Ahmad has worked in various institutions, including Mental Hospital Peshawar, NHS England, and Khyber Teaching Hospital. He has trained over 40 FCPS and MCPS doctors and introduced Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) in Pakistan, training over 200 mental health professionals.

Prof Bashir Ahmad has received several awards in recognition for his contributions, including the Clinical Excellence Award (2008, 2009), Lifetime Achievement Award from Dow University of Health Sciences, and Bronze Medal from the Brain Research Organisation, UK.

A farewell ceremony was held at the Khyber Teaching Hospital, attended by his trainees and colleagues from across the province in addition to Consultants of different departments of the hospital and medical students of Khyber Medical College.

In recognition of his remarkable contributions, a Teaching Demonstration Room has been named as “Bashir CBT Lounge” in honour of Prof Bashir Ahmad.This prestigious lounge was inaugurated by esteemed guests, including senior psychiatrists Prof Khalid Mufti and Prof Muhammad Idrees, Prof Muhammad Ayaz, Medical Director of KTH, Dr Zafar Afridi, Hospital Director of KTH, and Associate Professor Dr. Imran Khan.Prof Bashir Ahmad’s legacy would continue to inspire and influence the field of psychiatry in Pakistan, and his contributions will be remembered for generations to come.