29 January 2005	Saturday	18 Zilhaj 1425

KARACHI, Jan 28: The Sindh High Court stayed on Friday voting for the office of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council president till Feb 4,when a writ petition moved by private sector medical universities and health institutions would come up for hearing.

The petition, moved by the Pakistan Association of Private Medical and Dental Institutions, through Advocate Anwar Mansoor Khan, said the private sector institutions had a vital role to play in the country's health sector, but had no representation on the PMDC. The council could not claim to represent the medical institutions without their representation.

The petition claimed that the federal health ministry had advised the PMDC against holding its presidential poll without resolving the question of the private sector institutions. The PMDC decision to go ahead with the poll was discriminatory and arbitrary.

A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Saiyed Saeed Ashhad and Justice Maqbool Baqar, observed that the contentions raised by the petitioner association merited consideration and issued pre admission notices to the PMDC and other respondents for Feb 4. A deputy attorney general was also put on notice.

PFCCI POLLS: The Sindh High Court ordered on Friday that elections to the offices of the president and vice-presidents of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry shall be conducted on Jan 31 with a federal attorney acting as the returning officer.

According to the schedule, nomination papers could be submitted to Deputy Attorney-General Nadeem Azhar Siddiqui by 12 o'clock on Jan 30. Scrutiny would be held the same day by 6 pm. Balloting would be conducted from 10 am to 4 pm on Monday.

The polls were scheduled by the FPCCI and the directorate of trade organization in December. Two identical petitions were, however, moved to question the transparency of the electoral process and arbitration tribunals appointed to entertain and settle election disputes. The court stayed the polls pending the hearing of petitions and announced the poll schedule while disposing them of on Friday.