Staff shortage hampers PM&DC working

Contract employees have no hope of getting permanent jobs

ISLAMABAD:

 

The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) is plagued by a lack of staff as the number of vacancies in the organisation tops 100, despite its restoration more than a year ago and those present there blame incumbent President Dr Rizwan Taj for not doing anything in this regard.

Many in the organisation were sceptical about the hiring of staff on merit by the PM&DC president.

In a council meeting on Feb 23, they said, the participants stressed the need for regularisation of the services of all contractual or daily-wage employees against the available vacancies.

Talking to The Express Tribune, some contract employees complained about their exploitation by the organisation.

They said that they were given the contract for 89 days only.

They also pointed out a vague term in their contract that they would “work till the pleasure of the president”.

These conditions rendered them to mere daily-wage earners, the employees said.

They added that there was no indication whatsoever that the PM&DC would adjust them in its staff.

The uncertainties among workers increases as the organisation’s registrar had been changed three times in less than a year.

When contacted, PM&DC President Taj refused to talk directly to The Express Tribune, but his reply came through a media consultant for the organisation.

“Staff will be hired on vacant seats when needed,” the reply stated. “But, we don’t need staff on those vacant seats. We have advertised seats as per our requirements and the PM&DC hires daily-wage employees only when there is a workload.”