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On 13 July 2026, SMBZAN ICQ had the honour of welcoming and hosting the delegates of the 20th iteration of the National Workshop on Balochistan (NWB XX), a regular initiative aimed at showcasing the beauty of Balochistan, highlighting the efforts being made to improve the socio-economic well-being of its people and helping to dispel misconceptions about the province. During the visit, Brig Asim Iftikhar, CEO SMBZAN ICQ, briefed the delegates about the institute's achievements, state-of-the-art cardiac services and future plans. The participants appreciated the remarkable progress made by the institute and showed keen interest through insightful questions. The delegates then visited various departments of the hospital and interacted with members of staff and patients, gaining firsthand insight into the impact SMBZAN ICQ is making in the lives of the people of Balochistan. The visit concluded with an exchange of souvenirs and a group photograph.

SMBZAN ICQ had the privilege of welcoming a distinguished delegation from College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan on 25th July 2026 for inspection in connection with accreditation of its Pediatrics Cardiology Department. The delegation comprised of Prof. Aisha Siddiqa, (Regional Director CPSP Quetta), Dr. Abdul Salam (GM CPSP Quetta), Mr. Javed Ghaffar (Registrar CPSP Karachi) and Dr. Saleem Akhter (Assoc. Prof. Paediatric Cardiology Agha Khan Hospital Karachi as Inspector). The visit commenced with interaction with CEO after which the delegation was presented a brief on SMBZAN ICQ, highlighting its history and achievements. The delegation subsequently visited various departments of the institute and appreciated the institute's commitment to maintaining high standards of patient care, clinical excellence and medical education. The visit concluded with presentation of commemorative shields to the distinguished delegation, followed by a group photograph, marking a productive event at SMBZAN ICQ. Subsequently, CPSP granted accreditation to Paediatric Cardiology Department for FCPS training program.

On 28 Aug 2026, SMBZAN ICQ had the privilege of celebrating the accreditation of its Paediatric Cardiology Department by the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) for FCPS training programme, marking a significant milestone in the institute’s commitment to postgraduate medical education and specialised paediatric cardiac care. The event brought together the Paediatric Cardiology team from NICVD Karachi and the Paediatric Cardiology and Paediatric Cardiac Surgery teams from SMBZAN ICQ to celebrate this remarkable achievement and the continued collaboration between the two institutions in advancing paediatric cardiac services. The gathering was graced by Prof. Aisha Siddiqa, Regional Director CPSP Quetta, as the Guest of Honor. Her presence added grace to the occasion and acknowledged the institute’s strong bond between SMBZAN ICQ and CPSP in bolstering high standards of clinical training and professional education. Commemorative shields were presented to the distinguished guests and members of the SMBZAN ICQ team who played an important role in fulfilling the accreditation requirements and achieving this significant milestone. The event concluded with a commemorative gathering and group photograph, marking a memorable occasion and celebrating a shared commitment to clinical excellence, medical education and quality paediatric cardiac care.

On 10 September 2026, SMBZAN ICQ celebrated the successful completion of Fellowship Training in Interventional Cardiology by Dr. Arshan Khan, Dr. Muhammad Zubair Zahid and Dr. Adeel Ahmed, marking another significant milestone in the institute’s commitment to postgraduate medical education and specialized cardiac training. The ceremony commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by a welcome note by the Col Muhammad Sajjad Abbasi, Executive Director, Dr. Abdul Wadood Kakar, Associate Professor of Cardiology and Dr. Muhammad Assa, Assistant Professor and HoD Cardiology addressed the gathering and congratulated the trainees on successfully completing their fellowship training. Brig Asim Iftikhar, CEO SMBZAN ICQ extended his congratulations to the trainees, appreciating their dedication and commitment to professional excellence. He stressed the need for relentless pursuit of quality in PG training and encouraged doctors to emulate the qualities of medicine’s greats in their interactions with patients. The ceremony concluded with distribution of fellowship completion certificates by CEO SMBZAN ICQ to the trainees, marking a proud and memorable occasion for SMBZAN ICQ and celebrating its continued commitment to clinical excellence and quality cardiac care.

On 22 Sep 2026, SMBZAN ICQ had the privilege of receiving the delegates of the 21st edition of the National Workshop on Balochistan (NWB XXI). The workshop provides an opportunity to present the diverse potential of Balochistan, highlight initiatives contributing towards the socio-economic development of its people and foster a better understanding of the province. As part of the visit, Brig Asim Iftikhar, CEO SMBZAN ICQ, gave an overview of the institute’s journey, key achievements, advanced cardiac care facilities and vision for the future. The delegates took a keen interest in the briefing, engaging in meaningful discussion and acknowledging the institute’s continued progress in cardiac healthcare. The visiting delegates also toured different departments of SMBZAN ICQ, where they interacted with hospital staff and patients and observed the range of specialised services being delivered. The visit offered them a firsthand perspective of the institute’s role in expanding access to quality cardiac care for the people of Balochistan. The visit concluded on a cordial note with the exchange of souvenirs, followed by a group photograph.

SMBZAN ICQ had the privilege of hosting the concluding ceremony of the All Balochistan Sports Cycle Race held at Quetta, with the 25 KM race commencing from Nawa Killi and concluding at SMBZAN ICQ. The concluding ceremony brought together the participating cyclists, hospital management and distinguished guests. Shields and prizes were presented to the participants in recognition of their performance and participation, followed by a group photograph marking the successful conclusion of the event. The hospital management appreciated the efforts and enthusiasm of all the participants and commended their dedication towards promoting sports, fitness and a healthy lifestyle among the people of Balochistan. The event concluded on a positive note, reflecting the commitment of SMBZAN ICQ towards supporting community activities and encouraging initiatives that promote health, fitness and wellbeing.

World Heart Day was celebrated at SMBZAN ICQ on 29 September 2026 with great enthusiasm and commitment towards promoting awareness about cardiovascular health and the importance of a healthy heart. The event commenced with the opening remarks by Col Muhammad Sajjad Abbasi, Executive Director, SMBZAN ICQ. This was followed by an informative orientation and awareness session by Dr. Anil Kumar, Assistant Professor (Interventional Cardiology), who highlighted the importance of World Heart Day and emphasized the significance of heart health, prevention and timely care. The celebration also included a cake-cutting ceremony and a group photograph, followed by an awareness walk to highlight the importance of maintaining a healthy heart and adopting healthy lifestyle practices. The event reflected SMBZAN ICQ’s continued commitment towards promoting cardiovascular health, preventive care and public awareness.

A hands-on workshop on Point-of-Care Ultrasound for Critical Care Patients was jointly organized by SMBZAN ICQ and NICVD Karachi on 1st October 2026, providing participants with practical exposure to focused cardiac and ultrasound-based assessment techniques. The workshop was facilitated by Prof. Abdul Sattar Shaikh, HoD Paediatric Cardiology NICVD Karachi and directed by Prof. Amin Khuwaja HoD Anaesthesia & ICU NICVD Karachi. The sessions covered Focused Echocardiography, Assessment of LV and RV Function, ASD, VSD, PDA, TOF, Pulmonary Embolism, Lung Ultrasound, Optic Nerve Assessment for ICP, and Basic TEE Views. Following the academic session, participants took part in practical skill stations and hands-on practice under the guidance of Prof. Abdul Sattar Shaikh, Prof. Amin Khuwaja, Dr. Shakeel, Dr. Athar Memon and Dr. Sana Mujahid. The workshop concluded with a certificate distribution ceremony where certificates were presented to the participants by the esteemed guests. CEO SMBZAN ICQ, Brig Asim Iftikhar, presented certificates to the presenters in recognition of their valuable contribution. The NICVD team also presented a certificate to Brig Asim Iftikhar, CEO SMBZAN ICQ, in appreciation of collaboration and support. The event concluded with a group photograph, reflecting the continued collaboration between SMBZAN ICQ and NICVD Karachi towards strengthening clinical skills, capacity building and advancing specialized cardiac care in Balochistan.

A three-day Quality Management System (QMS) Workshop was held at SMBZAN ICQ from 14th to 16th October 2026. The workshop was aimed at strengthening healthcare quality management practices, promoting continuous improvement and enhancing institutional standards in healthcare services. The workshop was conducted by Muhammad Shoaib, Quality Management Representative, AFIC and Mahjabeen Javaid, QA Officer, AFIC who provided valuable training and guidance to the participants on foundational and advanced healthcare quality concepts, including QMS and ISO 9001:2015. The training sessions covered the development of departmental quality objectives, KPIs and supporting documentation; application of Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and development of effective Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) plans; identification, reporting and management of incidents, adverse events and non-conformities and conducting internal quality audits to strengthen patient safety and enhance patient experience. On the final day, a certificate distribution ceremony was held, during which certificates were presented to the participants in recognition of their successful participation in the training. Brig Asim Iftikhar, CEO SMBZAN ICQ, presented shields and certificates of appreciation to the trainers in recognition of their valuable contribution and support. The workshop concluded with a group photograph, reflecting SMBZAN ICQ’s continued commitment to quality improvement, institutional capacity building, patient safety and the implementation of international quality management standards to ensure excellence in healthcare delivery.