KARACHI: Prof Sumaira Khowaja Punjwani, principal of the College of Nursing & Midwifery at Ziauddin University, has become the first registered nurse in the country to earn dual PhD status.

According to a press release, Prof Punjwani’s doctoral specialisations span bioethics and global public health from the United States and health professions education from the Jinnah Sindh Medical University.

“She has now become the youngest health professional in Pakistan to attain dual-PhD status across nursing and allied health disciplines. This exceptional milestone reflects not only her personal academic excellence but also marks a transformative moment for the nursing profession in Pakistan,” the press release states.

Her achievement underscores the evolving role of nurses as leaders in research, global health ethics, and academic innovation, it adds.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2026