LAHORE: Assistant Professor Dr Aamir Hussain Bandesha of the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) has challenged his repatriation to the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education (SHME) Department by the academic council of the institute.

The PIC academic council had on Aug 10 unanimously decided to repatriate Dr Bandesha to the SHME department on “administrative grounds.”

In a presentation submitted to the department on Saturday, Dr Bandesha maintained that he had nothing to do with the strike or other activities of the Young Doctors Association (YDA).

He submitted that he had nothing to do with whatsoever happened at the PIC from Aug 1 to Aug 8. “I have been performing my duty as an assistant professor of cardiology as is evident from the attendance record and the institute record.”

A member of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), Dr Bandesha has been one of the founding members of the YDA but dissociated himself from the association after his elevation as an assistant professor.

He has been a staunch supporter of the Punjab government move to centralise procedure for admission to the public and private sector medical and dental institutions.

Academic councils and disciplinary committees of teaching hospitals and medical education institutions have taken action against more than 70 doctors since the YDA activists decided to stop work at the outpatient and indoor wards to press the government for acceptance of their demands.

Dr Bandesha is the first medic who has challenged the action taken by the academic council concerned.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2017