Positive discrimination: Govt to reply on minority students quota case

PHC told KMC has only five seats for students of other adherents.

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court has directed the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government to ensure the allotment of quota seats for adherents of minority religions in medical institutions is at par with other provinces.

The order was issued by a bench comprising Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Musarrat Hilali. The court learnt the government is not following the order given to allot seats to minority students in medical colleges.

The bench was informed by Mian Mohibullah Kakakhel, counsel for student Ansa Anam, that his client submitted an application to Khyber Medical College (KMC) for an MBBS degree. Kakakhel stated the name of his client was 13th on the merit list for minorities but did not get selected.

KMC’s counsel Fawad Salih told the bench the name of the applicant was 13th on the list. He argued if five seats are allocated then her name will not make the cut.

Anam’s lawyer Kakakhel told the bench that the high court had already issued a directive to the K-P government to ensure the allotment of seats for minorities is at par with the other provinces. This is not being followed, said Kakakhel.

The court then sought a reply from the provincial government on the next date of hearing.

There are seven government medical colleges in the province including KMC in Peshawar, Ayub Medical College in Abbottabad, Khyber College of Dentistry in Peshawar, Saidu Medical College in Swat, Gomal Medical College in DI Khan, Khyber Girls Medical College in Peshawar and Bannu Medical College.

At the federal level, six percent of all total seats in government medical colleges are reserved for minorities whereas five percent are reserved in Punjab.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd, 2014.