Verdict reserved on medical college readmission process

IHC says bench would decide maintainability of the case after the activation of medical tribunals.

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday reserved its judgment on a petition filed by medical students, challenging the re-admission process of the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) in medical and dental colleges. The court stated that the bench would decide the maintainability of the case with it after the activation of medical tribunals.

Justice Aamer Farooq heard the case filed by medical students against the PMC decision for the readmission process in colleges.

The PMC had decided to go for a readmission process after receiving several complaints about irregularities in the admission process. The court instructed the lawyers of both sides to submit their written comments within three days and reserved the judgment.

The bench would only view the subject that whether the PMC had the authority to take such a decision or not, the court remarked.

Read PMC allowed to run readmission process at medical colleges

The bench also extended its stay order against any action against the petitioner students until the final decision of the court.

The lawyer for PMC, Sardar Taimoor Aslam, took the stance that the medical tribunal was functional and an appeal against its decision could only be challenged before the Supreme Court. He said the PMC had the authority for readmission in private colleges.

The lawyer for petitioners, Afnan Karim Kundi, pleaded that his clients had been studying for 90 days and had also appeared in exams. The PMC decision would adversely affect the year of enrolled students, he said.

He told the court that all high courts in the country had stopped the PMC from implementing this decision till the final judgment. The court, however, reserved its decision after detailed arguments from two sides.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 4^th, 2021.