SHC seeks petitioner’s reply on PMC’s arguments

Plea claims some questions in MBBS entry tests were out of syllabus

The Sindh High Court (SHC) sought on Wednesday a counter reply from the petitioner after the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) presented its arguments on a plea pertaining to out of syllabus questions in medical admission tests held on November 29, 2020.

A two-member bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, was hearing the plea, which maintained that biology and physics questions in the entry tests were out of syllabus.

The plea has moved the court to constitute a committee, having representation from all four provinces, to probe into the matter.

Presenting his arguments, the counsel for the PMC contended that the results of the tests had been released and 67,000 candidates out of 100,000 had been successful.

The counsel for the petitioner, however, argued that the PMC had admitted that 14 questions included in the tests had to be removed.

Seeking a counter reply from the petitioner on the PMC's arguments and the commission's reply over objections raised by the petitioner, the court adjourned the hearing until January 4.

Assets beyond means case

Separately, the SHC granted Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Sharjeel Memon's wife, Sadaf Memon, who is nominated in an assets beyond means reference, the permission to travel abroad.

The petition seeking the permission pointed out that Sadaf had travelled out of country during the earlier stages of the trial and had returned to Pakistan.

Accepting Sadaf's request, the court allowed Sadaf to travel abroad for a month for business purposes.

Contempt plea dismissed

At another hearing, a two-member bench, comprising Justice Iqbal Kalhoro and Justice Shamsuddin Abbasi, dismissed a plea seeking contempt of court action against the investigation officer (IO) over delays in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) inquiry into corruption in the funds of Pakistan Post Office Employees Cooperative Housing Society.

The counsel for the petitioner contended at the hearing that the IO had told the court that the case's inquiry would be completed soon, but the NAB hadn't taken any action despite court orders.

He sought contempt of court action against the accused.

But all six persons accused in the case have been meted out sentences and another NAB inquiry in the case is underway, NAB prosecutor Shahbaz Sahotra argued.

At this, Justice Kalhoro asked, "Why a contempt plea has been filed in the case when a NAB inquiry is already underway?"

Making these remarks, the court declared the plea not maintainable and disposed it of.

Extension granted

Moreover, the court granted an extension to the NAB for completing the inquiry in an assets beyond means reference, filed against PPP leader Khursheed Shah and others.

During the hearing of the bail pleas of the accused, the counsel for the petitioner informed the court that an interim reference against the accused had been filed in the Sukkur NAB court.

He said the case's inquiry had been completed and a report was sent to the NAB headquarter for approval.

"However, objections were raised on report," he added, moving the court to grant an extension so that the objections could be addressed and the inquiry's findings finalised.

The court granted an extension to the NAB, directing it to complete the inquiry by January 27, as well as extended the interim bail of the accused. It also ordered the NAB to submit a progress report at the next hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2020.