ISLAMABAD, Jan 26: The ongoing stand off between the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) and the health ministry was resolved on Wednesday when the council decided to give representation to the private medical institutions
within three months after consulting the private institutions and the ministry.
Vice-President PMDC Abdullah Jan Jaffar told the media persons that the issue had been resolved amicably. He said the council would constitute a committee to oversee the working of the council's secretary Dr Sohail Hashmi.
Earlier, the health ministry and the PMDC had locked their horns over relieving Mr Hashmi and holding elections to fill the vacant seat of the council's president.
The council was accusing the ministry of interfering in its internal affairs, while the latter was exerting pressure to postpone the council's Wednesday meeting to elect a new president.
A delegation of the executive council of the PMDC, which met Secretary Health Anwar Mehmood at his office, also requested deferring the January 19 notification for repatriation of the secretary to the health ministry.
"To avoid disruption in the working of the PMDC Secretariat, the ministry's notification of repatriating Dr Sohail Hashmi be held in abeyance till the council arrives at a suitable alternate arrangement," said a late Wednesday night government announcement.
The ministry had also issued fresh instructions to the council's Vice-President Prof Abdullah Jan Jaffar on Jan 24 to implement the notification. Abdullah Jaffar is supervising the council's affairs after the death of PMDC President Zafar Hayat.
Proposed amendments to the PMDC Act were also discussed. The proposed amendments, which also include substantial reduction in the strength of the council to 26 by providing representation to all stakeholders, had been forwarded to the ministry for its consideration six months back.
The delegation also appreciated the support it had received from the government through the health ministry in all matters, especially in its efforts to ensure the standards of medical and dental education in the country.
Director General Health Dr Majid Rajput, who represents the health ministry in the council, had earlier emphasized that the scheduled election to the office of the PMDC president should be decided by the council itself.
