By Irfan Siddiqui
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council (PNMC), led by President Dr Syed Ali Farhan Razi, occupies a crucial position in the country’s efforts to improve nursing education, strengthen professional regulation and develop a workforce capable of delivering safe, compassionate healthcare. The council’s official website confirms Dr Razi as its current president. (pnmc.gov.pk)
The council’s responsibilities reach far beyond issuing registration certificates. It sets educational standards, inspects institutions seeking recognition, regulates professional practice and coordinates with examination bodies. These functions help protect patients while ensuring that students entering nursing and midwifery receive education that prepares them for the demands of clinical work. (pnmc.gov.pk)
Among its essential services are registration, licence renewal and verification for nursing professionals. Its regulatory mandate covers nurses, midwives, lady health visitors and nursing auxiliaries. For patients and employers, reliable registration provides an important safeguard. For professionals, it establishes the recognized status required to practise legally in Pakistan. (pnmc.gov.pk)
Dr Razi’s recent engagement with the University of Turbat provides a concrete example of his approach to expanding educational opportunities. According to the university, Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Gul Hasan met him on October 9, 2026, to discuss regulatory requirements and a roadmap for establishing a university medical and nursing college in Turbat. (uot.edu.pk)
During that discussion, Dr Razi appreciated the university’s vision and assured PNMC support in streamlining accreditation, curricula and clinical training standards. This engagement deserves recognition because expanding access to nursing education in underserved regions requires both institutional encouragement and clear professional safeguards. Cooperation of this kind can help turn educational ambitions into properly regulated training opportunities. (uot.edu.pk)
His willingness to engage directly with an institution in southern Balochistan is an encouraging early sign. It points towards a practical emphasis on regional access and educational quality. The significance lies in supporting expansion while keeping accreditation and clinical preparation central to the process.
The wider reform agenda also includes modernization of the council’s administration. In July, Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal directed that PNMC be fully digitized and brought into line with international standards, with improvements in governance, transparency and service delivery. These are institutional priorities that the current leadership now has an opportunity to advance. (pid.gov.pk)
The scale of the challenge remains considerable. At a council meeting in March, the federal health minister cited a shortage of nearly 900,000 nurses and called for stronger institutions, merit and professional competence. Dr Razi was elected vice president at that meeting, giving him prior involvement in the council’s reform discussions before assuming its presidency. (pid.gov.pk)
For Pakistan, the value of a stronger nursing council will ultimately be measured in better training, dependable regulation and improved patient care. Dr Razi’s documented outreach offers a constructive beginning. Sustained follow through, transparent decisions and support for credible institutions can help his leadership translate that promise into lasting benefits for nursing professionals and the communities they serve.
