The GKMC Times is the independent student newspaper of Gajju Khan Medical College, Swabi, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. We exist to report on the life of our campus — academics, research, public health, sport, and the communities of Swabi we train alongside — in the words of the students living it.
We publish news reporting, staff and guest opinion columns, and video coverage of campus events. Our reporting is produced entirely by students, with faculty acting only as advisors, never as editors of content.
Every issue should read like it could only have come from this college, in this city, this year.
Opinions published under the Opinions section reflect the views of their individual authors, not the editorial board, the newspaper, or the college administration. We welcome disagreement and publish responses where space allows.
About Gajju Khan Medical College
Location. Gajju Khan Medical College is located on the main Swabi–Jehangira road at Bacha Khan Medical Complex, Shah Mansoor, at a distance of 3 kilometres from Swabi Motorway Interchange. This is the current temporary location of the College, which will be shifted to the newly constructed, purpose-built building at Ambar Kunda, Swabi.
Namesake. The College is named after the late Pakhtun leader Gajju Khan (1490–1565), who took part in the battles of Swat and Malakand in 1515 and went on to rule the Pakhtun soil of what is now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for 35 years. Among his most notable contributions was the development of educational institutions across the region. He died in 1565 and is buried at Shah Mansoor.
Founding. Gajju Khan Medical College was established to meet the pressing need to enhance the quality of medical education in Swabi and, in turn, ensure better health services for the people of the area — opening the door to modern medical education and improved health standards for the region.
The realization of this dream seemed far-fetched until the Honourable Speaker of the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mr. Asad Qaiser, stepped forward and pledged to see the project through. He kept his word and secured approval for the mega-project from the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, describing it not as a favour to the people of Swabi but, in his words, "the right of the people of Swabi." He said he would strive to make up for the decades the region had gone without developmental projects. It was Mr. Asad Qaiser who laid the foundation stone of the College on 9th February 2014.
Construction has since begun on the College's own purpose-built campus at Ambar Kunda, Swabi; until that's complete, GKMC continues to operate from the Bacha Khan Medical Complex campus at Shah Mansoor.
Vision, Mission & Core Values
The college states its vision as becoming a national and global leader in medical education, scientific research, and community health services. Its mission is to produce competent graduates committed to lifelong learning and research, through a learning environment that supports compassionate community health services. Its stated core values are high ethical standards and professionalism, quality and excellence in training and clinical governance, collaborative leadership and teamwork, scientific creativity, and transparency and accountability.
Dean / Chief Executive
The College is currently led by Prof. Dr. Shams-Ur-Rehman, Dean and Chief Executive Officer of GKMC/BKMC-MTI Swabi. In his welcome message on the official college website, he describes GKMC as a newly established institution flanked by a group of teaching hospitals — Bacha Khan Medical Complex, DHQ Hospital Swabi, and THQ Hospital Lahor Swabi — which together are intended to raise the standard of healthcare training and delivery in the region.
Departments
Teaching at GKMC is organised across Basic Sciences and Clinical Sciences departments, alongside the college's administrative offices:
Basic Sciences: Anatomy, Bio-Chemistry, Community Medicine, Forensic Medicine, Pathology, Pharmacology, Physiology.
Clinical Sciences: A&E Medicine, A&E Surgery, Anesthesia, Cardiology, Dermatology, ENT, Gastroenterology, Gynecology, Maxillofacial Surgery, Medicine, Neonatology, Neurology, NeuroSurgery, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Pediatrics Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Psychiatry, Pulmonology, Radiology, Surgery, Urology.
Administration: Dean's Office, Associate Dean (Postgraduate), Associate Dean (Undergraduate), Associate Dean (Research), Admin Office, SLRC, Students Affairs Section, Accounts Section, Establishment Section, Main Library, Maintenance Department, IT/MIS — plus a dedicated Department of Medical Education.
Allied Teaching Hospitals & Institutes
GKMC students complete clinical rotations across a group of affiliated hospitals: Bacha Khan Medical Complex (Shah Mansoor — the primary teaching hospital, recently recognised as the first Category 1-licensed multi-specialty tertiary care hospital in KP's public sector), District Head Quarters Hospital Swabi, Tehsil Head Quarters Hospital Lahor Swabi, and Tehsil Head Quarters Hospital Topi. Nigar College of Nursing (NCN) also operates under the same MTI Swabi umbrella.
Student Societies
Outside the lecture hall, GKMC students organise through a handful of official societies, including Sports, the Social Welfare Society, the Literary Society (which has previously hosted annual literary sessions with guest writers and poets), and a Hiking Club. The GKMC Times covers events from all of them — if your society has something coming up, let us know.
Editorial Principles
We verify claims before publishing, correct errors publicly when we make them, and give people and departments we report on a fair chance to respond. We do not publish anonymous attacks, and we separate news reporting from opinion clearly on every page.
Get Involved
Writers, photographers, videographers, and editors from every year and department are welcome. Visit our Contact page to pitch a story, submit an opinion piece, or join the team.