Despite official assurances to the contrary, they still worry they will lose civil servants rights. PHOTO: FILE
Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) employees remain confused and annoyed by the government’s decision to turn the hospital into a university.
The staffers are of the opinion that they will lose the rights, comfort and security that comes with their job status as civil servants, and that the hospital will charge its patients heavily once it turns into an autonomous body, despite assurances from the government that this will not be the case.
The previous federal government decided to turn Pims --- a teaching hospital --- into a full university Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU) but staff nurses, paramedical staff and a few doctors on Saturday went on a two-hour token strike following the latest development in the form of an Islamabad High Court (IHC) decision to appoint the current acting chief of the hospital as the vice chancellor (VC) of the varsity.
On the other hand, an official at Pims requesting anonymity termed the strike a drama and rubbished claims that current employees might lose their civil servant rights.
“There is a group behind the strike which wants to stay in power. By creating a fuss, they want to make the government think that the hospital cannot afford a change,” revealed the official, who further said that most of the senior faculty members have been fighting among themselves for the post of VC.
“The moment they hear rumours about someone’s appointment as VC, they take him to court,” he added.
The recent IHC orders the acting chief of Pims, Mehmood Jamal, as becoming the interim VC of SZABMU.
Meanwhile, the project director of the new university Dr Riaz Warraich said the race for the post was a major factor in the delay in its construction, which had to conclude by September 2013.
After the court cases are decided, the post, 130 applications for which were received, will likely be advertised again.
“More than two years will be required to streamline matters before the university starts functioning,” according to him.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 3rd, 2013.
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