Govt has 90 days to devise doctors’ service structure

SC disposes of the case but directs govt, health ministry to be wary of nepotism

ISLAMABAD: The apex court on Wednesday gave the government three months to complete a new service structure policy to regulate the postings and promotions of doctors in the federal capital as it disposed of a case relating to illegal appointments in government-run hospitals in the city.

The court further directed the federal government and the health ministry to refrain from nepotism in forming the new regulations.

This was directed by a three-member bench of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Gulzar Ahmed while hearing a case on illegal appointments in the federal capital’s hospitals.

During Wednesday’s proceedings, Justice Ahmed remarked that the service structure for doctors has already been made.

At this, the counsel for the petitioners Afnan Karim Kundi told the court that the doctors had filed reservations over the service structure since it was infringing on their rights.

Justice Ahmed remarked that the apex court could not hear those reservations and further asked the doctors to take their reservations to the concerned forum.

Justice Ijazul Ahsan remarked that the court had previously formed a committee comprising of the secretaries of health and establishment division along with other concerned officials to review the matter.

Justice Ahmed added that a report on the service structure was made for everyone.



Attorney General Khalid Javed argued that doctors appointed at hospitals in the federal capital have filed applications against service structure apart from applications for their regularization.

He clarified that the service structure report was only a set of recommendations. Despite that, he assured that the government will review the report impartially.

Later, the apex court disposed of the applications.

According to the health ministry’s report on service structures for doctors, the government had divided doctors into four categories who had been deputed at hospitals in the federal capital from other departments or even other provinces.

The report recommended giving concession to all doctors, who were deputed and later regularized, excluding eight doctors of the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

However, the report disclosed that a majority of the deployments in government hospitals were in accordance with rules and regulations.

Referring to the shortage of doctors in government hospitals, it said that it would create a vacuum in the health department if these doctors were transferred back.

Moreover, the report recommended promoting the doctors who had been working on the same grade for years despite being highly qualified.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 14^th, 2019.