QUETTA: Students of medical colleges in Balochistan held a demonstration outside the press club here on Thursday against delay in commencement of classes in three new medical colleges in Khuzdar, Turbat and Loralai.

Addressing the protesters, speakers said that the three institutions which were approved by the government in 2013 were still not functional despite the fact that buildings for them had been constructed and teachers and other staff had been appointed.

They said provincial ministers for education and health, Rehmat Saleh Baloch and Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal, had promised some time ago that classes in these colleges would begin from March this year. But now there were reports that funds for the functioning of these colleges were not sufficient, they added.

They urged the Balochistan government to take the issue seriously and remove hurdles in the start of these colleges.

The speakers requested Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PDMC) President Dr Shabbir Lehri to play his role for the start of classes in the three colleges.

Dr Ababagar Baloch, an educationist, told Dawn on phone that 124 students had been given admission in the Bolan Medical College, Quetta, this year, adding that 150 students would get admission in the medical colleges of Khuzdar, Turbat and Loralai. He said if the government was not able to make these colleges functional, the future of 150 students would be uncertain.

A senior doctor and former head of a medical college told Dawn that it was unlikely that classes would commence in these colleges anytime soon.

A medical college is like a technical institution which requires buildings, laboratories, infrastructure, facilities, workers and hostels. Unfortunately, except buildings, these three colleges lacked all these facilities at the moment, he added.

He said the PDMC would not recognise these colleges until all aforementioned requirements were met.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2017