PMC allowed to hold MBBS entry tests on two dates

The Sindh High Court dismissed on Friday a plea filed against the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC), allowing the body to hold medical admission tests over two days.

The PMC has announced MBBS entry tests to be held on Sunday and will again organise the test in December for students who have tested positive for the Covid-19 and cannot appear this weekend. Challenging this decision, candidates had filed a plea against the PMC which a bench, headed by Justice Nadeem Akhtar, dismissed after hearing the arguments.

The PMC counsel, Zeeshan Abdullah, told the court that the tests were scheduled on November 29 and students with the coronavirus could appear on a later date after submitting their medical reports on the PMC website. "But the tests are the same and should be conducted on the same day, which is convenient for both staff members and candidates," the petitioners' counsel argued, adding that scheduling the tests on two days would affect merit.

He prayed the court to direct the PMC to hold them on a single day. The court, however, dismissed the appeal, stating that the PMC must ensure the implementation of pandemic-related standard operating procedures, in line with the government's directives. Illegal construction At another hearing, the court sought the Sindh chief secretary's reply on a plea pertaining to illegal construction in Karachi.

According to Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) officials, the SBCA directorgeneral (DG) had constituted a committee to take action against illegal constructions, but a notification issued by the local government secretary on November 17 restricted it from working. They told the court that as a result, action could not be taken against illegal construction and unregistered buildings.

However, only the SBCA DG has the authority to constitute and dissolve such a committee, they said, complaining that currently the body had no permanent DG. The court sought a reply on the plea from Sindh chief secretary and adjourned the hearing until December 16.

Property dispute Separately, the court expressed annoyance over the Pakistan Railways hindering the construction of Tejori Heights - a multi-storey building being constructed on land allegedly owned by the PR - and restricted the PR from taking the building into custody. The court was hearing a contempt of court plea filed against the PR for trying to take Tejori Heights into custody. It adjourned the hearing until December 7.