ISLAMABAD: After Islamabad High Court (IHC) restored Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), the employees of the commission recently reached outside their offices but were not allowed entry into the premises.
The employees wanted to enter the building forcefully but PMDC Registrar, Retired Brigadier Hafizuddin Siddiqui stopped them from doing so. He later approached the ministry for implementation of the court orders. However, Siddiqui was told that the employees should wait as the government was planning to file an appeal against the decision of the IHC that abolished Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) leading to the restoration of the PMDC and its sacked employees.
Later, the employees contacted the district administration for implementation of the court order. Assistant Commissioner Ali Javed reached the PMDC and contacted the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS). However, a letter was sent to him by the ministry stating that the building of the PMC [which does not exist anymore] had been sealed.
Earlier in October last year, President Dr Arif Alvi promulgated an ordinance which left the PMDC dissolved and paved the way for establishment of the PMC. The ministry of NHS, then sealed the building of the PMDC and informed its 220 employees that their services had been terminated. However, later, in February this year, IHC declared the presidential ordinance `null and void` and restored PMDC along with the services of the sacked employees.
-DN Report
Dr Muattar Hanif
The author is Editor at Dental News Pakistan and can be reached at newsdesk@medicalnewsgroup.com.pk
