President Asif Ali Zardari presents Tamgha-i-Imtiaz to Birmingham-based urologist Dr Muhammad Shabi Ahmed for his contributions to healthcare, education and charity.
LONDON: British-Pakistani consultant urologist and Professor of Urology Dr Muhammad Shabi Ahmed has been awarded Pakistan’s prestigious Tamgha-i-Imtiaz in recognition of nearly three decades of contributions to healthcare, medical education and charitable services in Pakistan and the United Kingdom.
President Asif Ali Zardari presented the national civil award to Dr Ahmed during a ceremony in Islamabad. The Presidency’s official record lists him among the recipients of the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz.
Based in Birmingham, Dr Ahmed has contributed to the development of minimally invasive kidney stone treatment in the UK. He is associated with Dow University of Health Sciences and the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) as a visiting or honorary professor.
His professional career has included senior positions in the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS), where he served as a trustee and Vice President/Treasurer. He was also the first Pakistani medical graduate to serve on the BAUS Council during its 80-year history.
A graduate of Dow Medical College, Dr Ahmed completed specialist urological training in Newcastle before pursuing advanced fellowships in endourology and stone disease in the UK and Southeast Asia.
He became known in Britain for his involvement in pioneering a less invasive technique for kidney stone removal. The procedure can remove stones of around two centimetres through an incision of approximately one centimetre, potentially reducing hospital stays compared with older surgical approaches.
Dr Ahmed has also devoted significant time to charitable healthcare initiatives. He serves as a trustee and UK representative of SIUT and is associated with the Indus Health Network. His work has included supporting medical initiatives in Pakistan and other developing countries, including helping establish urology services at a charitable hospital in Muzaffarabad in 2018.
He has participated in and organised urology camps in southern Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and rural Sindh, expanding access to specialist healthcare in underserved communities.
In medical education, Dr Ahmed has served as an examiner for the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan and the Master of Surgery programme in Urology. He has also provided advisory support to medical training programmes in Pakistan and abroad.
Expressing gratitude for the honour, Dr Ahmed said the award was particularly meaningful because it came from Pakistan, his country of birth and the place that shaped his professional journey. He said the recognition reflected his work through charitable organisations, healthcare delivery, fundraising and support for disadvantaged communities.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr Ahmed also gained national attention in the UK after publicly raising concerns about shortages of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers from minority ethnic backgrounds. His concerns were later followed by research highlighting disparities faced by ethnic minority doctors who raised workplace safety issues.
He has continued to advocate for fair treatment of ethnic minority doctors and support for medical professionals experiencing distress and difficulties within the healthcare system.
The Tamgha-i-Imtiaz recognises Dr Ahmed’s contributions across urology, medical education, charitable healthcare and community service in Pakistan and the UK.
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