ABBOTTABAD, June 13: The Peshawar High Court, Abbottabad Circuit Bench on Thursday ordered the adjustment of the unrecognised NIMS Medical College, Abbottabad’s students in the recognised medical colleges of the country, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Students of NIMS Medical College had been protesting the non-recognition of their college by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council for a fortnight.

According to them, almost seven batches are enrolled in the college with the number of students coming to 550.

In a short order given on a petition filed by the protesters, Justice Irshad Qaiser and Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth directed owner of the college Dr Aziz Ahmad to immediately make arrangements for adjusting all students of his educational institution in recognised medical colleges of the country, including of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and bear all expenses in this respect.

They directed National Accountability Bureau to initiate a case against the management of the unrecognised college over illegal operations for seven years.

Directions were also issued to Khyber Medical University and Hazara University to declare the withheld results of the college’s students.

In the petition, students demanded the court’s orders for registration of their college by PMDC and examinations by Khyber Medical University and Hazara University.

They demanded that in case of any delay of NIMS Medical College’s registration, the enrolled students might be accommodated in public/private sector medical educational institutions for completion of studies.

The students also demanded action against their college administration in accordance with the law. The college was set up in 2006 and has been offering courses since without securing the mandatory PMDC recognition.

However, Khyber Medical University and Hazara University conducted examinations of its students and even issued detailed mark sheets.

On June 8, 2012, the provincial MBBS final (IV Prof) examination was held but the results of the students were not announced. Later, students learned that the college was not recognised by PMDC.

In the petition, students pleaded that students of the college were entitled to the benefit of a Lahore High Court judgment and one of the Supreme Court, which allowed students of provincially recognised medical colleges to appear in examinations and secure degrees in case of success.