Pakistan has an active neuroscience community. It includes researchers and students in basic science institutes, as well as interested staff in clinical environments, such as neurologists, neurosurgeons, psychiatrists and psychologists.
Scientists working on Brain Chemicals Cells and other brain related disciplines are present in every University and Research Centers through out Pakistan. 

Experience in other countries shows that often specialist scientists do not know who is working on what and where, and this hinders communication.
A neuroscience association would help build local community feeling and encourage mutual aid.
It would help members realize how large and enthusiastic is the local community, and where potential weaknesses and gaps exist. It would help to identify topics for development.
There would be an “alumni feeling”.
Senior scientists would be on hand to help juniors with advice, and juniors help seniors keep up with new trends. There would be opportunities for juniors to participate and organize meetings, seminars or collaborations.
The association would provide a single “address” for international contacts.

We would suggest a basic programme of monthly meetings. They would consist of presentations from local members or visitors, and would be extended to benefit from coincidental visits by overseas neuroscientists, in the country for other reasons. They could cover partly basic, partly clinical topics. Main meetings would be outside work hours so that seniors would be available, at an equal level, and outside the workplace, for communication with juniors. Also, clinicians and basic neuroscientists would be in social contact for cross-fertilization of ideas.

Initially a committee would be formed of “founding” officers, consisting of a chair, a secretary, a treasurer. They would be expected to perform all the functions needed in the first year of activity, and would automatically resign after loner year, to be re-elected or replaced at the first formal business or annual general meeting.

• Authority Issuing the Constitution
• Name
• Purpose of the Society
• Activities
• Membership of the Society
• Finances
• Governance of the Society
• Annual and Extraordinary General Meeting
• Bye-laws to the Constitution
• Amendments to the Constitution
• Dissolution of the Society

• Authority issuing the Constitution

The authority for issuing this Constitution consists of the Chairperson, Committee and Members of the Society, formed in consequence of the Meetings held at the Dr Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research on 28th March 2007.

• Name

The name of the Society shall be The Basic and Applied Neuroscience Society of Pakistan

• Purpose of the Society

The purpose of the Society shall be to:

• support and promote neuroscience research in the Pakistan and the region
• give encouragement and assistance to, and strengthen collaborative research ties between, its members
• organize congresses, seminars, workshops and courses in the field of neuroscience

• participate in the scientific activities and collaborate with, other Societies in the field of neuroscience nationally and internationally
• develop educational programs at the Universities of Pakistan that lead to higher degrees in Neuroscience

• Activities

The Society shall strive to promote research that help to advance the understanding of the brain and the nervous system by facilitating the integration of research and by encouraging translational research that has clinical implications for the treatment and prevention of nervous system disorders including neurological, neuro sensory, neuro developmental, psychiatric, and other related illnesses.

The Society shall aim to disseminate information in the PAKISTAN and the Region by organizing educational activities that would bring together students and scientists of diverse backgrounds, and provide professional development activities, information, and educational resources for neuroscientists at all stages of their careers. 

• Membership of the Society

Ordinary membership
Ordinary membership shall be open to any person who shares the interests of the Society as stated above (Clause 3), including scientists and medical practitioners specialized in neuroscience or a related subject, equivalent research or teaching staff, or persons from affiliated professions.
Honorary membership
Honorary membership may be awarded at the discretion of the Committee to individuals on the basis of their international standing in service to the field of neuroscience. Such Honorary membership shall be reported at the Annual General Meeting.
Termination of membership
Individual membership will be terminated:

Database of the membership will be made available to local and regional organizations of mutual interest.   

• Finances

Voluntary annual contributions will be determined on a year to year basis by the Executive Committee and approved by the Annual General Meeting.

• Governance of the Society

The Society shall be governed by a Committee elected by the Society membership. The Committee will remain in post for two years, and each member will be eligible for re-election for a further two years.
The Committee shall consist of the following members:
Patron: Professor Peerzadah Qasim Raza Siddiqui
President Prof Dr Ather Enam
Secretary Prof Dr Kaneez Fatima Shad
Treasurer Dr Sohail Qureshi.
Plans which needed to be addressed by the committee as soon as possible

Nominations for the posts on the Committee must reach the Secretary not less than seven days before the Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Specialist advisers and members may be co-opted as non-voting members as necessary. A quorum of the Committee shall be four members, one of whom must be the Chairperson or The Secretary, or their designated replacement.
The meetings of the Committee will be held at least once a year and a copy of the minutes of each meeting must be retained as an archive.

• Annual and Extraordinary General Meeting

An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held in March each year. Notice of an AGM shall be given to members at least fourteen days in advance, and must indicate the time and place of the meeting, and the agenda

The quorum for a valid AGM shall be twenty members. The AGM shall include the following items:
            Chairperson's Report
            Treasurer's Report (if applicable)
Election of Committee members shall be by majority vote. Voting on other matters, except amendments to the Constitution or dissolution, shall also be by majority vote.
An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) may be called by the Committee at any time or upon the request in writing of not less than twenty members. The minimum period of notice to members of an EGM shall be fourteen days.

• Bye-laws to the Constitution

Bye-laws may be adopted, amended and revoked from time to time by majority vote of the Committee, or by the Membership through an AGM or EGM.

• Amendments to the Constitution

Amendments to the Constitution may be proposed by the membership or the Committee, through an AGM or an EGM, and always with fourteen days notice. Decisions will be made by a two-thirds majority of the AGM or EGM.

• Dissolution of the Society

The Society can only be dissolved by decision of an AGM or EGM, by a two-thirds majority of the AGM or EGM.

• Bye-laws

Web site
The Society shall aim to publish a website to inform members of forthcoming events and to report on previous ones. It shall attempt to promote the aims expressed in the Purpose of the Society. Any member or non-member may contribute, at the Committee’s discretion. The Committee reserves the right to amend or abridge articles at their discretion.

NAMES OF THE MEMBERS
(OPEN TO ALL SCIENTISTS WORKING WITH BRAIN CHEMICALS, CELLS OR TOPICS IN PAKISTAN)