Psychiatric services in Pakistan have undergone considerable changes s
ince independence 50 years ago. There has been an increased awareness
of psychiatric illness on both public and professional levels and grea
t emphasis has been laid on the education and training of medical and
related professions in recent years. Although old traditional methods
still prevail, it is becoming increasingly common to seek professional
psychiatric advice. Like any developing country, however, much remain
s to be done especially on a government level in order to meet the bas
ic mental health needs of the nation.