PMC not a permanent body, observes SHC
PHOTO: FILE
The Sindh High Court pointed out on Friday that Pakistan Medical Council (PMC) wasn't a permanent body and sought details of arrangements made by it for tests for admissions in medical programmes.
A two-member bench, headed by Muhammad Ali Mazhar, was hearing a plea pertaining to the rift between the federal and Sindh government over the entry tests.
At the hearing, the PMC counsel, presenting his arguments, said it was the first time that the test syllabus was uniform across the country.
At this, Justice Mazhar pointed out that the PMC was not a permanent body yet, and asked what arrangements had been made for admission tests for medical colleges and universities. "It is a matter of the future of thousands of students," he remarked.
At this, the counsel maintained that an ad hoc body of the PMC had been constituted to conduct the tests and all arrangements had been completed for the purpose.
The assistant advocate-general, however, argued that that the PMC's constitution was itself faulty. Besides, he added, entry tests are to take place on November 9 while the next hearing was on November 10. "How will students prepare for the tests in this situation?"
The court directed the Sindh government's counsel to present arguments at the next hearing.
Match fixing, money laundering
Meanwhile, a two-member bench comprising Justice KK Agha and Justice Amjad Ali Sahito restricted relevant authorities from taking action against the investigation officer in a case pertaining to match fixing in Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2020 and money laundering.
It was a hearing a plea challenging a lower court's verdict, in which relevant authorities had been directed to take action against IO Fareed Ahmed Khan.
Khan's counsel argued that his client had declared one of the accused, Faisal Chatta, innocent as he hadn't found any forensic evidence of his involvement in match fixing and money laundering during PSL. He said that IO had released Chatta on the directives of a trial court but later, a lower court had ordered action against him for doing so.
As many as 13 persons, including Chatta, have been indicted in the case. According to the FIA, bookies had approached cricketers during PSL and solid proof of this had been acquired from the accused.
Plea rejected
At another hearing, the bench headed by Justice Mazhar dismissed a plea seeking the legalisation of possessing 10 grammes of hashish by an individual.
"What kind of plea is this? Do you want everyone to start consuming hashish?" Justice Mazhar rebuked the petitioner. "What penalty would you suggest the court imposes on you for filing such a plea?"
At this, petitioner Ghulam Asghar Saeen said he was a poor man, intending only to address an issue of common interest. He added that many people of repute were already consuming hashish here, arguing that its use was legal in numerous other countries.
Justice Mazhar remarked, "You may move to countries where consuming hashish is legal. It is not allowed in Pakistan."
In return, the petitioner argued that making hashish legal would lead to growth in Pakistan's revenue generation.
The court, however, rejected the plea, stating that there were numerous other ways to do so.