Established in 1957, the AFIP, supported by civilian and military pathologists, has been engaged in the task of combating virus outbreaks in Pakistan.

They were located at Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Quetta, Mhow, Poona, Meerut, Lucknow, Secunderabad, and Rangoon.

The threats posed by the Russian empire and a fear of Afghans and Central Asian forces overrunning the Indian territory, made the British rulers particularly cautious about the northwestern borders across the Hindu Kush mountains.

Rawalpindi served as the pivotal military base, from which they controlled the command, logistics, and services provided to those troops.

After independence, Pakistan Army Medical Corps (AMC) was established from the fragmented available resources (monetary as well as personnel).

Faruki and Lt Gen Wajid Ali Khan Burki, played a key role in early formative years of AMC.

The CMPL had started its existence in a small premises as a Central Diagnostic and Reference Laboratory for the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.

[citation needed] It was with the advice received in the form of a letter from Major Syed Azhar Ahmad that the CMPL was designated as Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) on 20 August 1957.

Therefore, more room was needed and a double-storey building was constructed which was later considered unsuitable for the work of the AFIP and was handed over to the newly created Armed Forces Medical College.

[citation needed] It must be put on record that late Lt Gen W.A.Burki, was very keen to improve the scientific basis of AMC and was a moving force behind many projects of development.

During his visits, he too felt the need of an advanced diagnostic laboratory service and provided necessary financial support for the construction of the new building.

A large purpose built double-storey building was planned by Maj (later Col) SMH Bokahari, who took personal efforts in its design and construction.

During the tenure of Lt Col Noor Ahmed, a very well organised and systematic programme of academic activities and research was set up in this institute, on sound scientific basis.

Consequently, Major (now Maj Gen Retd) M.I.Burney completed a one-year training course in Virology in Walter Reed Army Institute of USA.

Messrs Abdullah and Sons from Gujranwala accepted the task and they made all the furniture indigenous at a remarkably low price.

It was then supposed to look after the ministers and senior civil servants of the Federal Government of Pakistan ad their family members.

Mr Mohammad Shoaib shared the discomfort with other patients and he generously sanctioned a handsome amount for bringing changes.

During those days, the pressing demands of quality pathology service had compelled the AFIP to assume the role of a Central Reference Laboratory.

The general population belonging to civil sector of this region, including many medical institutions in and around Rawalpindi benefited its expertise.

[citation needed] In August 1973 Col (now Late Maj Gen) M.I.Burney was seconded to the civil as executive director of the National Institute of Health, Pakistan and Lt Col (now Retd Lt Gen) Syed Azhar Ahmed was appointed as the Commandant of the institute.

The forum of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan was utilized for this purpose and within few years a large number of candidates qualified for FCPS in pathology.

Since-then a large number of Armed Forces pathologists as well as civilian doctors availed AFIP facilities for their research for M.Phil.

By this action, he laid the foundations of future of sound basis of Virology, Immunology, Histopathology, Microbiology, Chemical Pathology and Nuclear Medicine.

Simultaneously the required equipment was purchased, the officers and staff were selected and trained and within a year, the centre was made functional.

Further training of these officers was arranged in UK and two of item obtained their master's degree in nuclear medicine from the London University.

This provided 24,000 square feet (2,200 m2) of additional laboratory space in a modern building with adequate training and research facilities.

[citation needed] In 1988, Lt Gen Syed Azhar Ahmed left AFIP to become the executive director of national Institute of Health.

He had been pioneer of the research in medical sciences with the collaboration of Dr Sarwar Jehan Zuberi and Prof Naeem Aon Jaaaferi.

The Lymphoma project which was already started, gave a new vigour and activity as the funds were diverted to hire the services of many more doctors, technical and secretarial staff.

In the diagnostics side its departments include Hematology, Chemical pathology, Microbiology, Immunology, Virology, Endocrinology and Nuclear Medicine.