SC constitutes 11-member adhoc council to run PMDC

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The Supreme Court of Pakistan has formed an 11-member adhoc council to run the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council. In the short verdict, the court ruled that Justice (retd) Ijaz Afzal Khan will head the council, while Attorney General of Pakistan, Surgeon General of Pakistan, vice-chancellors of National University of Medical Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Sindh Jinnah Medical University, Khyber Medical University, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Medical University, Bolan Medical University Quetta and Principal of De’Montmorency College of Dentistry Lahore will be its members. Meanwhile, the court also rejected the contempt of court filed by the employees of the PMDC. A few years back, Supreme Court had dissolved the council and nominated Justice Jan as the president of the council. Later, IHC also appointed the same council while declaring the presidential ordinance null and void. On Oct 19, 2019, the PMDC was dissolved by a presidential ordinance promulgated which paved the way for the establishment of the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC). On Oct 20, the Ministry of NHS had sealed the PMDC building and announced that the services of its 220 employees had been terminated and only class four employees would be retained. Later, the PMC was established and building was made functional. However on Feb 11, IHC declared the presidential ordinance ‘null and void’ and restored PMDC along with the services of the sacked employees. Instead of implementing the decision once again, the Health Ministry sealed the building and stopped employees from entering. Later, the government filed an appeal against the decision of IHC in division bench but could not succeed in getting the decision suspended or obtained stay order. On the other hand employees filed contempt petition in IHC.