BSAC shows solidarity with medical students

QUETTA:

Baloch Students Action Committee (BSAC) Tuesday held a protest in front of Quetta Press Club to show solidarity with the students of medical colleges whose licences have been cancelled by Pakistan Medical Council (MPC).

Protesters carried placards and banners and chanted slogans demanding that the medical colleges should be recognized by the PMC because the future of their students hanged in the balance.

Addressing the protestors, the leaders of BSAC demanded registration of Balochistan’s medical colleges by PMC whose NOC had been withdrawn and rejected PMC’s proposed special exam from the students.

“600 students of three medical colleges of Balochistan have been protesting against PMC’s decision of special exam for the last 73 days but no one has been listening to them,” he said.

“The medical students after a 73-day long sit-in have decided to go on hunger strike till death. The condition of three medical students has deteriorated and they have been shifted to hospital for medical treatment,” he added.

Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo had promised that the issue would be resolved but so far, on the part of the provincial government there is no progress on this front, he said.

The protesting students further blamed that if nine medical colleges in Punjab and other provinces can be registered without special exam, then an exam for the students of three medical colleges of Balochistan is unjust.

They further complained that Balochistan is already backward and education resources are not relatively widespread and despite meager resources, students have continued their studies.

They pointed out that after the 18th amendment, the education and health sectors come in the jurisdiction of provincial governments so the provincial government should address the concerns of students instantly.

“Students of these medical colleges of Balochistan have passed the entry test conducted by credible institutions. That is why, there is no justified reason for giving another special exam,” they added.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2022.