Quaid-e-Azam Medical College in Bahawalpur has a rich history of it’s foundation . In 1971, Punjab had only two medical colleges: King Edward Medical College in Lahore, which catered to men, and Fatima Jinnah Medical College, designated for women. It was during this time that the then Governor, Lt. Gen. Attique-ur-Rehman, announced the establishment of a medical college in Bahawalpur.
The college officially commenced on *February 22, 1971*, in the premises of newly constructed building on Baghdad Road of Vocational Training Institute, starting with an inaugural class of 108 students, including eight girls. Prof. Syed Alamdar Hussain Shah, who served as the first Principal, inaugurated the college that day and began the basic science classes simultaneously.
Initially, hostels were located on the upper floor while classes were held on the lower floor. Concurrently, construction of the college’s permanent building began on a designated piece of land near Bahawal Victoria Hospital, located adjacent to Circular Road.

On *March 15, 1971, Lt. Gen. Attique-ur-Rehman visited Bahawalpur to assess the college and proposed various names for the new institution. Ultimately, the name “Quaid-e-Azam Medical College” was chosen. The foundation stone for the current building was laid by the Governor of Punjab on **December 2, 1971. This event signifies the close association between the college and Lt. Gen. Attique-ur-Rehman, leading to some confusion regarding the founding date. However, it is crucial to note that the actual start date of Quaid-e-Azam Medical College remains **February 22, 1971*, not December 2.

The college was originally named Bahawalpur Medical College prior to its official renaming. The suggestion for the name “Quaid-e-Azam Medical College” was tabled during Lt. Gen. Attique-ur-Rehman’s visit, where a consensus emerged in favor of this name. While some proposed alternatives such as “Attique-ur-Rehman Medical College” or “Allama Iqbal Medical College,” the former name prevailed.

Additionally, a committee was formed to select the college’s insignia, which was designed by Dr. Laeeq Akmal from Sialkot and is still in use today. The first group photograph of the college, taken on March 15, 1971, serves as a historical memento, proudly displaying the college’s previous name and founding date.