College woes: Parents lament recognition of Al-Razi Medical College by PMDC

Say it lacks basic facilities required to teach MBBS students.

PESHAWAR:

Parents of MBBS students in Al-Razi Medical College (ARMC) Peshawar have asked the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) and Pakistan Medical and Dental Association (PMDC) to take notice of the poor condition of the college.

Parents who had approached The Express Tribune lamented the SC and PMDC decisions to officially recognising the medical college without proper inspection of the college premises.

One of the parents claimed PMDC had refused to recognise the college initially, but was forced into giving conditional recognition after its owner Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf MNA Nasar Khan Khattak and his brother, ARMC CEO Tahir Khan Khattak, had tricked the Supreme Court into passing an order in the college’s favour.

Nasar Khan had received a demi-official letter from a federal minister which he used to bribe the federal secretary of health into issuing recognition orders on behalf of the government, bypassing the PMDC, maintained irate parents. Soon after, the college admitted 100 students with an annual fee of Rs1.2 million.

The real deal?

According to a college student, the owner had rented library books and medical equipment, and hired a considerable number of faculty members to fake the evidence presented to the PMDC. He added the owner had promised the body a separate building would be constructed within a year.

Meanwhile, the PMDC had disallowed the college to take in new admissions for the first year, according to the parent. However, college authorities failed to oblige and instead approached SC.

The student claimed the PMDC still refused to grant recognition, despite an SC verdict in favour of the college.

However, after the college authorities had approached the SC a second time, the PMDC was forced into granting a conditional recognition to the ARMC with instructions to establish a new building. Though, the rented books and medical equipment disappeared soon after along with all the faculty.

A PMDC official insisted the college is in clear violation of the body’s rules and regulations. He added while the college was not acceptable to the PMDC, the SC decision makes it hard to do anything about it. Khyber Medical University (KMU) was not allowing affiliation over similar reservations, added the PMDC official.

Meanwhile, ARMC Administrative Officer Colonel Hamad Alvee told The Express Tribune the college is now affiliated with KMU and rejected all accusations about the lack of facilities. Alvee said the college is properly with facilities required by medical students.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2013.