ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) administrator Dr Altaf Hussain retired on Saturday after reaching the age of superannuation.

Grade 20 officer Dr Hussain was the head of the hospital for over four years, and during his tenure extended a number of wards and departments.

On Saturday, while addressing Pims employees after visiting a number of hospital departments, Dr Hussain said he had tried his best to provide relief to patients, apart from the fact that the hospital has faced a workload many times greater than its capacity.

“I suggest that doctors, nurses and paramedics devote their lives to serve patients, because only that is how people will remember you,” he said.

Meanwhile, the senior-most joint executive director of the administrative cadre Dr Raja Amjad Mehmood took charge as acting administrator of the hospital.

Last week, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Medical University Vice Chancellor Prof Abid Zaheer Farooqi issued a notification stating that Dr Mehmood would take charge of administration on Jan 20, the date of Dr Hussain’s superannuation.

The notification was issued in light of Supreme Court directives which, in November 2016, removed three Pims officers and ordered that officers from the administrative cadre be appointed.e cadre.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2018