Assalamualaikum Everyone and greetings!

It’s about time to say goodbye to our members, supporters and well-wishers who made this year a historical success.

It is an honor to serve as your President for 2022. I thank each one of you for supporting your very own society throughout the year, which is also the testimony of your faith that you entrusted on me in 2020 and my commitment to PPS as an organization.

As I promised in January when I took reins of PPS that with my councils’, memberships and community’s support PPS will make meaningful contributions to the local community, our community in Pakistan, and beyond to make a lasting impact. We built collaborative relationships with institutions such as healthcare, civic and educational organizations. and continued the spirit of community engagement beyond borders to support all communities.

What we accomplished in 2022 is a true example of teamwork to leverage your vision to greater heights. I thank great mentorship and help of our leaders, members and respectful community members who helped me in continuing focus on our mission and help PPS make a lasting, profound impact on the lives of others.

As one of my key goals for this year, we have strengthened the PPS to the forefront of advocacy, community services, outreach, policymaking, and legislation in the USA and in Pakistan.

As promised, we have engaged strongly with the communities in Pakistan and in the USA and contributed highest ever donations and support totaling in excess of $320000 and includes;

• Donation of 1.1 million Tylenol tablets to the people of Pakistan to support flood relief efforts
• Donation of 21 complete housing units for flood victims in Pakistan with the matching APPNA donation @ the cost of $44000. 7 units each for Sindh and Baluchistan and 6 units for Punjab
• Donation of CT Scanner to a charitable institution in Pakistan @ the cost of about $200000
• Donation of 5 endoscopes to JPMC, Karachi @ the cost of $42000. These units which are already operational will provide much needed diagnostic and therapeutic services to the people of Sindh and Baluchistan.
• Food/Pantry donation of $10,000 and distribution of Ramzan groceries during the holy month of Ramzan in Chicago
• Flood Relief donation of $15000 to support Pakistan flood relief efforts
• Donation of $5000 with matching from KEMCANA to a girl’s educational institution in KPK, Pakistan

PPS has achieved the following milestones in 2022 during my candidacy:

• PPS Strategic Zoom Meeting January 30th, 2022
• PPS Career Seminar, February 6th, 2022
• PPS Educational Symposium, March 19th, 2022 @ Alhambra Palace
• PPS Pakistan Day Event in collaboration with the CGOP, March 23rd, 2022 @ Holiday Inn Skokie
• PPS Annual Iftar Dinner on April 9th, 2022 @ Shalimar Banquets – record attendance
• PPS Annual Memorial Day Picnic, May 30th, 2022 @ NDS Brown Forest Preserve - record attendance
• PPS International Trip to Pakistan Northern Areas and CME Meeting, July 24th-July 31st, 2022
• PPS Annual Meeting 2022, September 17th, 2022 @Hilton Oakbrook - record attendance
• Upgrade of PPS website
• Strong and expanded clinical services
• Academic engagement with first abstract published on career counseling presented at an international conference                   

We have also supported advancement of tourism in Pakistan and a group of PPS members and families visited northern areas of Pakistan including Naran, Kaghan, Gilgit, Hunza, Nagar, Skardu and Islamabad in August.

Our website committee worked very hard and focused on making strong digital footprint of our web content with quick upload of news and website upgrade.

We have continued providing clinical rotations, housing, and training to medical graduates from Pakistan. We are also working on providing alternate pathways to physicians who are unable to get a residency slot. We are currently working with Illinois house, senate, and other state regulators to make IMG authorization a more permanent licensing option for these trained graduates. We have also facilitated through engaging with the federal and provincial governments in Pakistan to work out a permanent solution to get Pakistani institutions accredited by World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) and avoid a major issue for our medical graduates. I led a group of PPS members to meet former PM Imran Khan, Foreign office dignitaries at MOFA, DG health, Director PIMS, CEO AKU, Ambassador Masood Khan and Health Minster Sindh to advocate for their support in this major policy issue.

One of our main assets, PPS house has been brought back to a reasonably usable condition with top 2 units recently rented generating revenue whereas the bottom two units are brought back to inhabitable condition and being dedicated to accommodating students.

I am highly indebted to my officers Dr. Samina Khattak, Dr. Tehmina, my council members, Drs. Zafeer, Kanwal, Nasar, Shahid, Tariq, BOT chair, Dr. Butt, all of my members, alliance, media and the community for their overwhelming support to make this year a historical success. Also, this year success wouldn’t have been possible without Dr. Kashif Ahmad’s unconditional support who stood behind me in every thick and thin to make it an unprecedented effective term.

I would also like to thank Hon’ Dr. Arif Alvi, President of Pakistan who gave me an opportunity last week to meet with him personally at his residence and his kind guidance and support for PPS.

Lastly, I would like to thank our very own, Consulate General of Pakistan, Chicago, Hon’ Tariq Karim for his unwavering support and dedication to the PPS and my family Ahmed, Zainab, Zaina, Amna, especially my wife Sheema, whose dedication and patience helped me breeze through the year. I also owe my success to my mother Mrs. Kamal and strong backing of her prayers.

By the grace of Almighty we will continue this trajectory of forwardness & community engagement and take PPS to new heights.

Pakistan Zindabad, Long Live USA

Dr. Asif Syed, President PPS