ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday reserved decision in a petition filed by the government, seeking removal of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) registrar.

Three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed has also directed the PMDC Registrar retired Brigadier Hafizuddin Siddiqui not to attend his office.

Earlier, the attorney general informed the apex court that the registrar had entered the council building after breaking the locks.

He also said the Presidential Ordinance, under which the registrar was appointed, was declared null and void by the Islamabad High Court so the registrar cannot continue his job.

He also requested the court to appoint some former judge as the president of the council because, according to law, a retired judge can be a head of the council.

The attorney general said the court could reappoint Justice Shakirullah Jan as the president of the council.

He said the council would become functional as soon as its head was appointed.

A few years back, Supreme Court had dissolved the council and nominated Justice Jan as the president of the council.

Later, IHC also appointed the same council while declaring the presidential ordinance null and void.

Member of the Bench Justice Ijazul Ahsan asked that how a person could continue working if the presidential ordinance, under which he was appointed, was declared null and void.

He also said that the PMDC had the right to decide the fate of the employees.

CJP said thousands of doctors were suffering due to delay in their registration. Later decision was reserved.

The PMDC was dissolved by a presidential ordinance promulgated on Oct 19, 2019, which paved the way for the establishment of the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC).

On Oct 20, the Ministry of NHS, despite Sunday, sealed the PMDC building and announced that the services of its 220 employees had been terminated and only class four employees would be retained.

Later, the PMC was established and building was made functional.

However on Feb 11, IHC declared the presidential ordinance ‘null and void’ and restored PMDC along with the services of the sacked employees.

Rather than implementing the decision once again health ministry sealed the building and stopped employees from entering.

Later, the government filed an appeal against the decision of IHC in division bench but could not succeed in getting the decision suspended or obtained stay order. On the other hand employees filed contempt petition in IHC.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2020