Demanding representation: Young fellows seek right to run for CPSP council

Principal says election rules were made ‘before these fellows were even born’.

LAHORE:

Some 150 fellows of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) have written a letter to the college administration asking it to amend the rules to allow them to contest in the election to the college council.

The letter, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, has also been forwarded to the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination.

An election, held every four years, is due in February.

A council meeting of the council will take place on January 16.

“We are intending to participate in the CPSP council elections as provisioned under Section 6 (1) of the Pakistan College of Physicians and Surgeons Ordinance 1962. We have been informed by some veteran fellows that a restriction of eight-year standing as fellows have been imposed on aspirants by the CPSP council. We are deeply concerned about this as more than 70 per cent of the college have standing of less than eight years,” the letter reads.

The letter said imposition of such restrictions was unjustified.

“Such restrictions violate the Pakistan College of Physicians and Surgeons Ordinance 1962. Elections to the council should be conducted with compliance of section 6 (1) which states there shall be a council of the college consisting of 20 elected members by the fellows from amongst themselves.”

The letter urged the CPSP to review the eight-year restriction.

The letter said that in case of a delay in abolishing the restriction, the fellows would approach the federal government under Section 7 (3) of Ordinance to settle the dispute.

In such circumstances, the federal government’s ruling is final.

Dr Amir Bandesha, one of the fellows who signed the letter, said young fellows should be allowed to join the CPSP council.

“We want young fellows, assistant professors, associate professors and professors in the council to make it more effective,” he said.

“If there are only professors in the council, they cannot resolve problems faced by younger fellows,” he said.

He said of the 6,200 CPSP fellows in good standing, around 4,000 did not the eight years standing required of candidates.

The fellows, in a separate letter, have also asked the college to provide them with all the by-laws, regulations and rules of the college as they were not available on the website.

CPSP Regional Director Professor Khalid Masood Gondal said rules and regulations regarding the election were formed at the CPSP headquarters in Karachi.

He said he was not aware of an eight-year rule.

CPSP President Professor Zafarullah Chaudhary said doctors passing CPSP fellowship exam did not become professors.

He said the same logic applied for their induction to the council.

“Why do patients want to get treated by a professor when young fellows have the same qualifications?” he said.

“Because a professor brings more experience to the table,” he said.

He said he had not read the letter sent by the fellows so far but the matter would be taken up in the council meeting.

“Only the council is empowered to take a final decision in this matter,” he added.

Professor Chaudhary said there were 16,000 fellows at the college and 8,500 were in good standing.

He said the rules were formed when the college was established.

“Many of these young fellows were not even born when the rules were made,” he said. He said college’s council election was transparent. “Even the ECP declared many years ago that CPSP council elections were free and fair.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 15^th, 2015.