ISLAMABAD: Another controversy rocked the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) when Registrar Dr Amjad Mehmood was removed from the post on Friday.

However, Dr Mehmood claimed that he cannot be relieved of the charge unless getting permission from the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

The PMDC has been facing controversies for about two years. Initially, it ran into a dispute with some members of the National Assembly standing committee on health services after it stopped their private medical colleges from giving further admissions due to the lack of facilities.

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The council also had a bitter relation with the ministry of health due to which the PMDC management was stopped from working and a management committee was formed through a presidential ordinance in 2014.

However, after the expiry of the ordinance in 120 days, the management became functional again.

On Friday, an official statement was issued by the PMDC that Dr Sameer Qurashi had been given the acting charge of the registrar.

“Dr Amjad Mehmood has been relieved on his own request as he was on deputation from the ministry of CADD and his promotion was due for about two years there. Dr Sameer Qurashi is now the acting registrar of the PMDC,” the press release added.

Registrar Dr Amjad Mehmood says he can only be removed after permission from IHC

An official of the PMDC said tension between the management of the PMDC started when Dr Mehmood raised the issue that the president PMDC, Dr Masood Hameed, had retired on November 6, 2014.

“After that, Dr Mehmood filed an application on January 4, 2015, for repatriation to CADD. However, on February 6, the IHC formed a commission to look into the issues between the ministry of health and the PMDC. The court also directed the PMDC not to repatriate Dr Mehmood,” he said.

“Because of the court orders given by Justice Athar Minallah, Dr Mehmood decided to stay in the PMDC. However, now the PMDC has relieved him against court orders,” he alleged.

When contacted, Dr Mehmood told Dawn that in the light of the IHC direction, the order for his repatriation was illegal.

“I am bound to follow the orders of the IHC to avoid contempt of court so I will not join CADD unless the IHC orders me to do so on the next date of hearing, which is on March 26,” he said.

PMDC Deputy Registrar Dr Shaista Faisal told Dawn that on January 4 Dr Mehmood had himself submitted an application to go back to his ministry because his promotion was due for the last two years.

“On February 6, the IHC decided to establish an inquiry commission and nominated Dr Mehmood as the focal person,” she said.

However, she added, during the hearing of the matter on March 11, the IHC observed that the inquiry commission report should be submitted by the registrar. “So it was decided to repatriate Dr Memhood because anyone appointed as the registrar can submit the report,” she said.

In reply to a question, Dr Shaista said it was correct that Dr Masood Hameed had retired on November 6, 2014, but his service was extended by the government.

“We held a farewell party for Dr Mehmood on Thursday and he went happily. I cannot understand why he is now refusing to join CADD,” she said.

Published in Dawn March 21st , 2015

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