ISLAMABAD: After failing to convince the government to withdraw Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) Ordinance 2019, sacked employees of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) on Monday met Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and got an assurance that his party would play its role in disapproving the bill in the Senate.

The JUI-F chief also directed senators Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and Talha Mehmood to contact other opposition parties and devise a strategy to restore the dissolved PMDC.

On Oct 19, President Dr Arif Alvi promulgated an ordinance which left the PMDC dissolved and paved the way for establishment of a new organisation namely PMC. On Oct 20, despite being a Sunday, the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) sealed the building of the council and announced to terminate services of its 220 employees.

The PMC is a body consisting of three components - Medical and Dental Council, National Medical and Dental Academic Board and National Medical Authority - which will act as a Secretariat of the commission.

After meeting a delegation of sacked employees, Fazlur Rehman asks party senators to contact other opposition parties

Moreover, the government on Nov 7 tabled the PMC ordinance in the National Assembly and contrary to the usual practice passed the bill without referring it to a standing committee.

Former PMDC registrar Azhar Ali Shah, who led the 10-member delegation to meet JUI-F chief at his residence in G-6, told Dawn that though members of all opposition parties visited a protest camp of the sacked employees not a single representative of the government bothered to meet them.“The JUI chief had condemned the presidential ordinance just after its promulgation. Then he sent Abdul Ghafoor Haideri to visit our camp. He also condemned the sacking of the employees during his speech at Azadi March,” he said.

“On Monday, not only the Maulana listened to our issue with patience but also assured us that he would play his role in restoring the PMDC. He also said if the PMDC employees lost their jobs, the government would continue sacking employees in other departments as well,” he said.

He said the Maulana directed senators Ghafoor Haideri and Talha Mehmood to contact opposition parties and play their role for disapproval of the PMC bill which would soon be tabled in the Senate.Meanwhile, employees of the dissolved PMDC continued their protest on the 22nd day and condemned the promulgation of the ordinance.

They said they would continue both legal and political efforts for restoration of the PMDC.

They thanked the Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan assemblies for passing resolutions against the presidential ordinance.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2019