APMC comes of Age, A story of success!

Abstract

Assalamoalaikum Everyone!
Annals of Punjab Medical College (APMC) is an official publication of Faisalabad Medical University/PMC, Faisalabad and is
totally funded by the University itself. It has completed 12 years of its publication. It started in early 2006 as a 4-page leaflet by the name
of “Researcher”. It was the brainchild of Prof Dr. Riaz Hussain Dub, (Ex-Prof of Surgery & Ex-Principal PMC). I was entrusted the
responsibility of managing its publication. Soon, the 4-page leaflet transformed into a full fledge Journal with Prof Dr. AG Rehan (Ex-Prof
of Surgery & Ex-Principal, PMC) as its first patron and Prof Dr. Riaz Hussain Dab the as first Editor of the Journal. The name “Annals of
Punjab Medical College” was coined by Prof Dr. MY Shah (Ex-Prof of surgery PMC and presently Principal Independent Medical College,
Faisalabad).
It started as a bi-annual publication in 2007. Soon it was recognized by the PMDC. In 2015, it developed into a quarterly Journal.
Since 2015, it is recognized by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) in category “Y” and hope to see it in category “X” by the next
publication. It has been allotted its ISSN since its inception and indexed in “Index Medicus” by the WHO since 2014. Recently it has been
awarded the Impact factor by the “Citefactor”. Out of a total 76 Journals recognized by the PMDC previously, only 34 have been given
renewal. Similar is the story with HEC. At the moment only 40 journals are recognized by HEC in different categories. 4 are recognized
in “W” category, 2 in “X”, 20 in “Y” and 14 in “Z” Categories, 12 have been derecognized w.e.f., 2019 and 6 have been derecognized
permanently.
This is the success story of APMC. It was a team work. It was an uphill task to edit and publish APMC regularly & in time but at
the same time, not compromising the standards and ethics of medical journalism. Prof Dr. Riaz Hussain Dab played a leading role in
conceiving, starting APMC and then being the pioneer Editor, followed by Prof. Dr. Zahid Iqbal, myself and Prof Dr. Ghulam Mahboob
Subhani. I must acknowledge Prof Dr. AG Rehan in removing the initial financial hardships of APMC and then Prof. Dr. Sardar Muhammad
Al-freed Zafar in making it a quarterly publication.
I am attached with the APMC since its inception when it was a 4-page leaflet and then in 2007 developed into a robust Health
Sciences Journal, the APMC. I performed my duties in different positions like Associate Editor, Managing Editor, Editor and presently as
Chief Editor.
This is the last Issue under my editorship as I am retiring in March 2019. I want to thank FMU/PMC faculty for their tremendous
support and entrusting me its editorship for around a decade. On behalf of the Editorial Board, I accept any deficiency left behind. From
now onward, I hope it will keep on progressing at a very rapid pace under the competent editorship of Prof. Dr. Ghulam Mahboob Subhani,
perfect Editorial Board and a very dynamic Vice Chancellor, FMU Prof. Dr. Zafar Ali Choudry.