PIMH Official

20/09/2026

*PIMH Proudly Contributes to the National Mental Health Policy Framework 2026–2035*

A Landmark Journey Towards a National Mental Health Policy for Pakistan

The policy development process has been led by the Federal Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination (NHSR&C) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and Provincial Health Departments, with participation from key mental health professionals, policymakers, academics and stakeholders.

A *provincial consultative meeting on the National Mental Health Policy Framework 2026–2035* was held at *King Edward Medical University (KEMU), Lahore),* Chief Guest was Khawaja Salman Rafique. Minister for Health, SHC&MED. The meeting was hosted by Prof Dr Ali Madeeh Hashmi and Prof Dr Nazish Imran KEMU.

*Prof. Dr. Aysha Rashid, Executive Director PIMH; Prof. Dr. Nauman Mazher, Professor of Psychiatry, PIMH; and Ms. Aqila Unbrin, Principal Clinical Psychologist, well represented PIMH at the consultation.*

*The meeting focused on strengthening accessible, integrated and evidence-based mental health services, with discussions covering prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, counselling, professional development and social inclusion.*

The PIMH delegation contributed valuable perspectives from psychiatry, clinical psychology and psychosocial rehabilitation, emphasizing the importance of linking policy with clinical practice and strengthening mental healthcare systems.

*_PIMH remains committed to advancing quality, compassionate and people-centred mental healthcare across Punjab and Pakistan._* 🧠💙

11/09/2026

PIMH Leads Call for Action on Su***de Prevention

*PIMH Observes World Su***de Prevention Day 2026 with Awareness & Hope Walk, Model Display and Multisectoral Policy Dialogue*

*The Punjab Institute of Mental Health (PIMH), Lahore, observed World Su***de Prevention Day 2026 through a series of awareness, advocacy and policy-focused activities organized by the WELLNESS CLUB , PIMH, under the visionary leadership of Prof. Dr. Aysha Rashid, Executive Director* , PIMH.
Held under the international theme “ *Changing the Narrative on Su***de”,* the initiative carried the message “From Awareness to Action” and focused on promoting hope, compassion, early help-seeking and coordinated su***de-prevention efforts.

The *day commenced with an Awareness and Hope Walk at PIMH.*

Administrative Staff, Teaching Faculty, Doctors, Postgraduate Residents (PGRs), Clinical Psychologists, Pharmacists,Nursing Superintendent, Nursing Staff, Social Officers and Paramedical Staff participated in the walk, demonstrating the institution's collective commitment to mental health promotion and su***de prevention.

The *walk was followed by a Model Display, where participants presented creative and informative models highlighting su***de-prevention* messages, protective factors, hope, support systems and the importance of timely professional intervention.

*The major feature of the observance was the Multisectoral Policy Dialogue on Su***de Prevention in Punjab, which brought together distinguished stakeholders* from *government, public health, psychiatry, clinical psychology, academia, emergency services, social welfare, legal and justice sectors, youth and civil society, mental-health organizations and media.

Among the distinguished stakeholders participating in the dialogue were *Ms. Rushda Lodhi,* Parliamentary Secretary, Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education; *Prof Dr. Saira Afzal,* Dean, Institute of Public Health, Lahore; *Prof. Dr. Nazish Imran,* Head, Department of Child & Family Psychiatry, KEMU; *Prof. Dr. Saima Dawood,* Director, Centre of Clinical Psychology, University of Lahore, *Prof Dr Sameera Qamber Bokhari* *Prof. *Dr* . Nashi Khan* , Chartered Clinical Psychologist and President, Pakistan Association of Clinical Psychologists (PACP); *Prof. Dr. Rafia Rafique,* President, Pakistan Psychological Association; *Prof Dr Nauman Mazher, Prof Dr Saqib Bajwa, Dr Farasat Ali, Dr Ghulam Hassan, Dr Ali Anjum* *Dr. Arooj Arshad* , HOD Psychology Department, Riphah University, Lahore; *Dr. Noor ul Zaman,* Director, Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning (PILL), Lahore; *Ms. Arham Umar Arif,* Casework Lawyer, Justice Project Pakistan; *Mr. Arshad Janjuva,* Deputy Director, Social Welfare; *Mr. Shahid Waheed,* Rescue 1122; *Mr. Karamat Ali,* Additional Director Communication, National Health Support Programme (NHSP), Health & Population Department, Government of Punjab; a representative of the Punjab Safe Cities Authority; *Ms. Zainab Adnan* , Youth Representative, Bargad; and *Mr. Zahid Chaudhry* , Senior Journalist, City 42 Lahore, along with other distinguished professionals and stakeholders.*

The Policy Dialogue focused on key areas including su***de and self-harm surveillance, early identification and clinical care, crisis and emergency response, continuity of care following a su***de attempt, youth and community prevention, family support, responsible media and digital communication, workforce capacity building, institutional safety, and post-incident review and learning.

The session was skillfully moderated by Ms. Aqila Unbrin, Principal Clinical Psychologist and Chairperson, Wellness Club, PIMH,* who facilitated the multisectoral discussion and encouraged participants to identify practical and achievable actions within their respective sectors.

A key proposed outcome of the dialogue was the development of the “ *PIMH Su***de Prevention Action Charter 2026* ,” aimed at translating stakeholder recommendations into practical, measurable and coordinated actions for strengthening su***de prevention and response mechanisms in Punjab.

*Ms. Rushda Lodhi*
Parliamentary Secretary, Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education
“Su***de prevention is an important public-health and social responsibility that requires collective action.
Speaking on the occasion,

*Prof. Dr. Aysha Rashid,* Executive Director, PIMH, highlighted the importance of collective responsibility and coordinated action in su***de prevention. She emphasized that su***de prevention cannot be the responsibility of the mental-health sector alone and requires meaningful collaboration among government, healthcare, education, emergency services, social welfare, justice, communities, youth, civil society and media.

The observance reflected PIMH's continued commitment to mental health promotion, su***de prevention, psychosocial rehabilitation, community engagement and strengthening coordinated mental-health services.

**The day's message was clear and purposeful* :
“ *Changing the Narrative on Su***de** — *From Awareness to Action* .”*

10/09/2026

World Su***de Prevention Day , 10th September 2026

01/09/2026

*🌙 محفلِ میلادِ مصطفیٰ ﷺ — محبت و رحمت کا پیغام*

لاہور، 31 اگست 2026: پنجاب انسٹی ٹیوٹ آف مینٹل ہیلتھ (PIMH) لاہور میں ویلنس کلب کے زیرِ اہتمام، *پروفیسر ڈاکٹر عائشہ رشید، ایگزیکٹو ڈائریکٹر PIMH* کی سرپرستی میں محفلِ میلادِ مصطفیٰ ﷺ کا انعقاد کیا گیا۔
محفل کا مقصد حضور اکرم ﷺ کی ولادتِ باسعادت کی خوشی منانے کے ساتھ ساتھ زیرِ علاج مریضوں کو محبت، رحمت، امید اور خوشیوں میں شریک کرنا تھا۔
تقریب کا آغاز تلاوتِ کلامِ پاک سے ہوا، جس کے بعد نعتِ رسولِ مقبول ﷺ پیش کی گئی۔ زیرِ علاج مریضوں نے بھی نہایت عقیدت و محبت سے نعتیں پیش کیں، جس سے محفل میں ایک روحانی اور پُرسکون کیفیت پیدا ہوگئی۔
اس موقع پر سیرتِ طیبہ ﷺ، حسنِ اخلاق، رحمت، شفقت اور انسانیت سے محبت کے پیغام کو اجاگر کیا گیا۔ اس بات پر بھی زور دیا گیا کہ ذہنی بیماری کے ساتھ زندگی گزارنے والے افراد بھی عزت، محبت، خوشی اور معاشرتی شمولیت کے مکمل حق دار ہیں۔

*پروفیسر ڈاکٹر عائشہ رشید* نے اپنے پیغام میں کہا کہ حضور اکرم ﷺ کی سیرتِ مبارکہ ہمارے لیے رحمت، محبت، برداشت اور خدمتِ انسانیت کا بہترین نمونہ ہے، جبکہ مریضوں کی مجموعی بحالی میں ایسی بامعنی سرگرمیاں اہم کردار ادا کرتی ہیں۔

تقریب کی نظامت کے فرائض *مس عقیلہ عنبرین اور ڈاکٹر ماہم حمید* نے سر انجام دیے۔
تقریب میں ڈاکٹر عتیق، اے ایم ایس ایڈمن؛ ڈاکٹر ثاقب باجوہ؛ مس عقیلہ عنبرین، پرنسپل کلینیکل سائیکالوجسٹ و چیئرپرسن ویلنس کلب ۔ ڈاکٹررجینا محمود ؛مس رخسانہ چغتائی، مس مہر، ڈاکٹر فرخ عبداللہ؛ ڈاکٹر ماہم؛ ڈاکٹر طاہرہ ارشد؛ ڈاکٹر احمد؛ ڈاکٹر نرگس فاطمہ؛ ڈاکٹر منزہ نیازی؛ ڈاکٹر رومانہ؛ڈاکٹر نازیہ شاہد. ڈاکٹراقرا شکور ڈاکٹرسا ئرہ بشیر،مس کومل ڈپٹی ڈرگ کنٹرولر، مس میمونہ؛مس یروشہ، مس نسرین اختر، نرسنگ سپرنٹنڈنٹ؛ مس سنیہ روجر؛ مس ندا؛ مس نازیہ OT, ڈاکٹرز؛ پی جی آرز؛ نرسنگ اسٹاف؛ کلینیکل سائیکالوجسٹس؛ پیرامیڈیکل اسٹاف اور ویلنس کلب کی ٹیم نے بھرپور شرکت کی۔ تمام شرکاء کی محنت، خلوص اور مشترکہ کاوشوں نے اس روح پرور محفل کو ایک کامیاب، پُروقار اور بامعنی تقریب میں تبدیل کر دیا۔
محفل کے اختتام پر درود و سلام اور خصوصی دعا کا اہتمام کیا گیا۔ دعا میں مریضوں کی صحت، سکون اور خوشحالی سمیت ملک و قوم کی سلامتی کے لیے خصوصی دعائیں کی گئیں۔

*“آپ ﷺ کی ولادتِ با سعادت باعثِ رحمت ہے” 🌿💚*

صلُّوا عَلَی الْحَبِیب ﷺ
صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَآلِہٖ وَسَلَّم ﷺ

28/08/2026

*📢 Interns Lecture Series*

The *Department of Clinical Psychology* , Punjab Institute of Mental Health, successfully conducted another session of the Interns Lecture Series on the topic:
🧠 * *Psychopathologies*: *Anxiety Disorders* & *Intellectual Disability* * on Friday, 2026.The lecture was conducted by *Ms. Alina Naveed** Clinical Psychologists, PIMH.
🎯 The objective of lecture was to increase interns’ understanding of anxiety disorders in individuals with intellectually disability,including including their clinical features, assessment, and basic management approaches.✨ 🧠✨.
✨ These lecture series aim to enhance the clinical skills of interns, preparing them for professional excellence in the field of psychology.

25/08/2026

25/08/2026

🧠⚖️ *Bridging Mental Health & Law: CME Workshop at PIMH*

*Under the patronage of Prof. Dr. Aysha Rashid,* Executive Director, PIMH, a CME workshop on “ *Bridging Mental Health & Law: The Essential Guide to Medico-Legal Report Writing”* was successfully held at Punjab Institute of Mental Health, Lahore.
The session Resource Person was *Prof. Dr. Ali Burhan Mustafa * and the session was *skillfully moderated by Ms. Aqila Unbrin* , Principal Clinical Psychologist.
🔹 The interactive workshop covered medico-legal assessment, report writing, and the interface between mental health and law.
*Organizers of workshop were Dr. Ghulam Hassan, Dr. Ali Anjum & Ms. Aqila Unbrin.*
The concluding remarks and *vote of thanks were delivered by Dr. Ghulam Hassan* , Associate Professor of Psychiatry.

* This is a meaningful step towards strengthening forensic mental-health practice and bridging clinical expertise with justice. ⚖️🧠*

17/08/2026

🤝 *PIMH & IPH Sign MoU to Strengthen Mental Health and Public Health Collaboration*

*Under the patronage of Prof. Dr. Aysha Rashid,* Executive Director, Punjab Institute of Mental Health (PIMH), a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Punjab Institute of Mental Health ( *PIMH* ), Lahore and Institute of Public Health *(IPH),* Lahore.

The *MoU was formally signed by Prof. Dr. Aysha Rashid, Executive Director PIMH, and Prof. Dr. Saira Afzal,* Dean IPH, to promote institutional collaboration in mental health, public health, research, training, capacity building and community-based initiatives.

The signing ceremony was attended by **Prof. Dr. Nauman Mazhar, Prof. Dr. Saqib Bajwa, Dr. Ateeq ur Rehman (AMS Admin), Ms. Aqila Unbrin (Principal Clinical Psychologist), Dr. Tayyab, , Dr Adeel Ayub and Mr. Khalid Mehmood.*

During the *ceremony, various potential collaborative projects and future initiatives were discussed, focusing on strengthening mental health services through research, public health approaches, professional development and community engagement.*
Following the ceremony, the IPH team visited PIMH and toured its facilities and services, providing an opportunity to explore further avenues for collaboration.

The partnership marks an important step towards integrating public health and mental health expertise to promote evidence-based services and contribute to a healthier and more mentally resilient Punjab. 🌿🧠

*_A partnership for knowledge, innovation and better mental health.*
_

15/08/2026

🇵🇰 *Independence Day Celebrations at Unit C*

*Unit C, PIMH in collaboration with the Wellness Club,* organized Independence Day celebrations to engage patients in the spirit of patriotism, inclusion and wellbeing. 🇵🇰💚

The event was graced by Prof. *Dr. Aysha Rashid, Executive Director PIMH, as Chief Guest* . She appreciated the celebrations and inclusion of Patients at this event.

**HOD Prof Dr. Saqib Bajwa* , Along with Unit team and Administrative officers participated in the event.

*PGRs , senior clinical psychologist and interns actively participated and contributed.The celebration concluded with a cake-cutting ceremony.

This event brought patients and staff together in a joyful celebration of freedom, hope and inclusion. 🎂🇵🇰
Pakistan Zindabad! 🇵🇰💚