PESHAWAR: The health department has planned to construct Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical College on the plot, which was originally allotted to it but later given to a Karachi-based charity, according to officials.

Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto had announced construction of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical College (ZABMC) in Peshawar in 1990 but the plan couldn’t be materialised despite rule of PPP for three tenures since then.

The government had allocated 30-kanal for the college but there was little progress on the project owing to which the present provincial government allotted 100-kanal to Indus Foundation, a Karachi-based charity, for construction of a hospital last year.

Officials said that the plot allotted to Indus Foundation also included the 30-kanal piece of land meant for ZABMC. They said that government decided to set up the college in Education City, planned in Regi Model Town (RMT), for which summary had also been sent to the government.

Hopes for construction of ZABMC brighten as govt cancels agreement with Karachi-based charity

About three months ago, the provincial government cancelled the agreement inked with Indus Foundation owing to slow pace of work on the project because health thought that it was not possible to complete the project within 10 years, let alone its completion in three years as pledged by the foundation.

The cancellation of the agreement again created hopes for the long-delayed ZABMC as health department wants to allot the stipulated land back to the college. “A summary in this regard has already been sent to the chief minister for approval,” said officials.

They said that a five-member project directorate of ZABAC was making efforts to get the land back for the college.

Prof Mohammad Zubair Khan, the project director of ZABMC, told Dawn that they had requested the government to allow construction of the college on the same plot after cancellation of agreement with Indus Foundation.

“A summary about allotment of land for ZABMC in Regi Model Town (RMT) is also in the chief minister’s office but we have moved an application requesting the government to give us the original plot for the college,” he added.

Prof Zubair said that Regi Model Town was away from the city and in the development stage. He said that the plot in Regi Model Town could be utilised for some other educational purpose.

“We have also proposed to the government to provide us a rented building where classes can be started as we will need hospital at a later stage when the students reach fourth year,” said Prof Zubair. He said that government had notified Lady Reading Hospital as affiliated hospital for ZABMC long ago.

He said that Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), regulator of medical education in the country, required 500-bed hospital for recognition of medical college.

Prof Mukhtiar Zaman Afridi, the medical director of LRH, told Dawn that they got 1,750-bed hospital where about 30 specialties worked. He said ZABMC would have no issue in recognition by PMDC. “We need a medical college for our hospital because our province needs more doctors to cater to the needs of the population,” he added.

“During the past one year, we have recruited 30 specialists, who have 10 to 15 years experience of working abroad because we want to introduce new disciplines in medical sciences and provide better healthcare to the people,” he said.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2017