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History of King Edward Medical University (KEMU) or King Edward Medical College KEMC, Lahore (Page 13)

The most important achievement was the purchase of land for a new Campus of the Medical College and a Training Hospital near the University Campus , Lahore.
Thus writes the Principals in this annual report, ” One hundred and five acres of land have been purchased at a total cost of RS. 15,00,000 for the construction of a new Medical College and a Teaching Hospital near the University Campus Lahore during 1969-70. Program PCI for the scheme has since been submitted to the Government for approval of scheme and provision of funds. The building of this college are very old and require lots of modifications, additions and alterations to meet the needs of the day”.

However the march of time and circumstances did not allow this project to prosper and the opening of new medical college put such a burden on the financial resources of the Government that this idea remained a mere dream.

Professor Sardar Ali Sheikh took over again from Professor N.A. Seyal in September 1971 and remained Principal until April 1973. Soon after he took over the second Indo Pakistan war broke out in December 1971 and once again the country was plunged into tragedy and disaster. The Eastern wing of Pakistan was separated as a result, and lots of causalities occurred even on the Western wing due to indiscriminate air attack. The Alumni of this College once again stood behind their brethren in war and gave valuable medical help and treatment both at Lahore and in the forward sectors.
During this period the second story, started earlier, for the Girls Hostel was completed. A new Boys Hostel was sanctioned by the Government , Books furniture and equipment was purchased for the basic departments and the Department of Experimental Medicine.

An auditorium was constructed to a accommodate large assemblies and conferences in 1972-73. Ironically, what seemed adequate at that time has proved too small within a few years. Due to the large intake of students this 250 seated auditorium does not seem large enough for the purpose it was intended to serve.
A mosque was built on the College premises for the benefit of the students. The money for the mosque was mainly provided by the Government, but the Auqaf Department and the students themselves also contributed through their union funds, a noble gesture indeed.

Professor M. Akhtar Khan remained Principal from 1973 to April, 1979, During this period more specialties departments came into being or became part of the Medical College with full fledged professorial chairs. In fact, with regard to expansion of the existing units and establishment of new units the period of Professor M. Akhtar Khan was a period of remarkable growth in the history of the College. After Professor Riaz-e-Qader the name of Professor M. Akhtar Khan stands out distinctly as architect of the academic units of the college. Medical Units increased from three to five, surgical units increased from three to four. Ophthalmology and ENT units both had an additional professorial chair created during this period..

Neurology Unit was accommodated independently in Madden Gopal Wing of the Mayo Hospital, and came into being as a separate unit. In the Department of Pediatrics a chair of preventive pediatric was created. New professorial chairs were created for departments of psychiatry, Radiology and Radiotherapy as hitherto these departments were not represented at the college but functioned at the hospital level only.
The Annual College Convocation had not been held for seven years since 1971 and it was in Professor M. Akhtar Khan’s tenure that college convocation was held on 23 of February 1978 in which President of Pakistan. Mr. Fazal Ellahi Chaudhry was the Chief Guest. As this convocation had been held after a long gap it was particularly rejoiced by the college faculty members as well as students. The college gazette published a special convocation number on the occasion.

A contact with KEMC Alumni of North America was established initial during the tenure of Professor Sardar Ali Sheikh but it was during the tenure of Professor M. Akhtar Khan Dr. Amanullah visited the college and laid the foundations of what was subsequently to constitute an important land mark in establishing fraternal bonds between the almamater and our Alumni from all over the world and particularly from North America.
In 1974 first workshop was held under the auspices of WHO in which facilitators from Iran took part and laid foundation for trained local manpower consisting of Professor M. Akhtar Khan as the leader., Professor K. Saadiq Hussain, Professor S.AR. Gardezi, Professor Taqayya Sultana Abdi and Professor Munawar Hayat. The trained and highly motivated teachers of K.E. Medical College, established a Medical Education Centre under the guidance of Professor M. Akhtar Khan with Professor LAX Tareen appointed as Secretary Medical Education Centre. This gradually grew larger and more medical teachers both from King Edward Medical College and other local colleges were associated with it as facilitators after having themselves attended the workshops. Among those were Professor LAX. Tareen Dr. Khalil Rana and Professor Nasib R. Awan, from our own Faculty, Professor RX. Madan and Professor Nabilha Hassan from Fatima Jinnah Medical College and Professor Ijaz Ahsan from Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore. Subsequently during the tenure of Professor K. Saadiq Hussain as Principal this grew up into Provincial Medical Education Centre and conducted workshops on Medical Education and Evaluation both at the King Edward Medical College and other medical colleges of the province including Nishtar Medical College, Multan and Quaid -e- Azam Medical College, Bahawalpur. The provincial Medical Centre is housed in a portion of Patiala Block.