PESHAWAR, Oct 26: The NWFP government is planning to move a bill in the next session of the provincial assembly to reinstate doctors who had resigned in protest over the introduction of institution-based practice last year.

The impending move has not only angered the in-service doctors who fear their promotion to next grades would be affected but, officials say, it would also be in contravention of the existing laws.

Officials quoting the relevant law said those doctors who had resigned could only return as fresh appointees or on a contractual basis.

The government, however, says it was considering reinstating the 30 senior doctors who had either resigned in protest or had sought retirement on medical grounds after a house committee of the NWFP Assembly recommended scrapping of the IBP.

NWFP’s health minister Inayatullah told Dawn that a draft law aimed at bringing back senior doctors had been sent to the law department for vetting.

A majority of the mid- to late-career doctors who had opted for the IBP expecting long career in institutions now say that new the law, if enacted, would harm their careers and promotion prospects.

These doctors allege that the health department was being held hostage by a group of influential doctors belonging to a component party of the MMA to push for the reinstatement of the retired doctors.

“Although a summary to this effect has already been rejected by the chief minister, as being against the rules, their plan is to appoint themselves against any appropriate vacant post. For instance, a surgeon would be appointed against the post of professor of physiology. Not only would this be against the rules but would also mean that physiology would not get a professor,” a doctor pointed out.

Similarly, a person who left as an associate professor would come back as an assistant professor but would get promoted to the rank of professor over the incumbent associate professor, he said.

Officials acknowledge that service rules were formulated by the federal government and according to the code once a resignation was notified that person could come back only on a contract basis.

The doctors, who got promotions in lieu of the resignations of their seniors, had already sent a letter to the President, NWFP governor and chief minister, in which they had explained their reservations over the intended move.

According to them, they had saved the institutions and hospital wards from being de-recognised by the PMDC and CPSP after their seniors had left.

The health department officials agreed with the version of the current teaching staff “privately” but were reluctant to speak on the record.

A senior doctor, who resigned in protest against the IBP, said they had left their government jobs in protest. He said that the doing away of the IBP by the government had vindicated their stand and therefore they had every right to be re-instated on their posts.