CJP Nisar summons Punjab governor's son to court in medical colleges' fee case

Idrees Sheikh Published December 27, 2017

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nisar on Tuesday summoned Punjab Governor Muhammad Rafiq Rajwana's son to the Lahore registry of the Supreme Court (SC) to answer questions regarding a telephonic call to a female lawyer involved in a case regarding the inflated fee structure of private medical and dental colleges.

The CJP was heading a two-judge bench at the Lahore registry. The other member was Justice Ijazul Ahsan.

During the hearing, a female lawyer on the case told the court that Rajwana's son had tried to contact her after yesterday's hearing during which she had told the court that she knew of at least two cases in Punjab where colleges asked for Rs0.9 million as fee and refused to make any concessions on humanitarian grounds.

Upon hearing this, the chief justice, who was visibly displeased, summoned the governor's son to court and remarked, "How dare the governor's son call a lawyer."

"Check the law to see if the governor himself can be summoned to court," he added.

Speaking to DawnNews during recess, the lawyer said: "Yesterday, I told the court about personal experiences I had with medical colleges and I will not back down from my statement."

During the hearing, the CJP expressed concern over the deteriorating standards in the medical profession and health facilities, and said that he was told yesterday that colleges charge as much as Rs0.6m as fee.

"However, today we are being told that colleges in Punjab are charging close to Rs0.9m as a semester fee," Justice Nisar said during the hearing.

Justice Nisar also displayed indignation over the lack of bank details submitted by colleges. Yesterday the court had ordered colleges to furnish details of their bank accounts and the fees they charged for the present session from students.

The chief justice said that he would want to know what kind of doctors are being produced by private medical colleges.

"There days, young doctors do not even know how to check a patient's blood pressure," the chief justice remarked during the hearing.

The SC bench refused to allow more medical colleges from opening up, and also disallowed Fatima Memorial Medical and Dental College and Lahore Medical and Dental College from admitting additional students.

The bench ordered that all details of cases pertaining to medical colleges that are currently pending before the Lahore High Court and sessions courts should be shared with the SC.

Once again ordering colleges to provide their bank details and their fee structure, the chief justice said that the court needs to determine how much money the state spends on its medical students and what private institutions do for their students.

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Imran Ahmad

Dec 27, 2017 02:56pm

These are private shops and they should be allowed to sell their merchandise as the please. They can stretch the MBbs degree to ten years if it suits them. For the right price they can sell passing grades and degrees if they wish. If the Supreme Court can not restrict the obscene fees charged by lawyers, what right do they have to st the price of MBBS degree .

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Anti-Corruption_Pakistani

Dec 27, 2017 02:58pm

Well done, chief justice! Take appropriate actions against mafia cronies, who think they are above any law. Expose them and sentence them according to law - this teach them a lesson!

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Nadeem Ahmad

Dec 27, 2017 02:59pm

why the chief justice has to take notice?why the government not doing its job.

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m sohail

Dec 27, 2017 03:17pm

@Nadeem Ahmad simply because they are busy in saving one person

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Aamir

Dec 27, 2017 03:25pm

how about looking at law colleges that produce lawyers who can barely read?

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ibrahim marghoob

Dec 27, 2017 03:41pm

I think similar action should be taken against private schools charging exorbiant amount of fees from primary students. In Isb alone its around PKR 10K-PKR 20K per month which may constitute as 20 to 30% of an average white collar income. On top of it, if you have more than one kid, you can imagine the burden on parents. The problem is that nobody has reliance on govt schools, correctly so, leaving parents at the mercy of business men often associated with influential people.

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Shaukat Ali Khan

Dec 27, 2017 04:04pm

@Imran Ahmad I do agree with your view point about lawyers' fee; Sir. But I think the government needs to control the fee structure so that all education is accessible to the masses. There must be some seats for the unprivileged ones too.

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Zaheer

Dec 27, 2017 04:14pm

Any civilised country can't allow unreasonable profits from masses until unless it's a luxury

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Naweed Rashid

Dec 27, 2017 04:33pm

Friends we must understand the falling standards of Govt Medical Colleges, agreed that private colleges are charging high but good private colleges are providing better educational then others. If private medical colleges are not fulfilling the requirement then what is the use of PMDC

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Dec 27, 2017 05:30pm

Private colleges and schools should be able to charge whatever they desire and whatever the students are willing to pay. Courts can however make decisions regarding any school or college committing fraud with the students. In terms of quality of education, the respective educational boards should take steps to ensure that board exams and the degree qualification criteria are up to the acceptable international standards. It is not the function of the court system to control fee structures or to restrict admissions for whatever reason

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Dr. S. Rehman

Dec 27, 2017 05:40pm

We want to see our Supreme Court to protect our fundamental rights. Very happy to see CJP is finally active to take notices of these corrupt institutions,in addition to water quality notices couple of days ago.

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Syed Hassan

Dec 27, 2017 05:44pm

@Imran Ahmad Two wrongs dont make a right. The doctors from these colleges will eventually enter into service whereby they will be practicing actual medicine. Just imagine, if they are not been properly trained what havoc with the human life these people will make. The faculty of medicine is a highly disciplined and restricted field atleast in the developed and most developing nations. Unfortunately, we have turned this profession into a joke by making a money making machine.

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Syed Hassan

Dec 27, 2017 05:48pm

@AW From that standard then any shopkeeper (being a private enterprise) can charge whatever he feels like for a commodity. Where are the price checking and regulating functions of the Government in a society? This is the very reason the court has to intervene because the executive branch is consistently turning a blind eye to its core set of responsibilities.

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Dec 27, 2017 06:03pm

@Imran Ahmad : Law used to be a noble and respectable profession in Pakistan 40+ years ago. Now majority of the lawyers not only charge exorbitant fees in lump sum without any logical calculation based on the actual number of hours worked but also are unable to deliver a quality service to their clients. Big name lawyers charge huge amounts but then send junior lawyers to do the substandard work. Seriously looking at the scenario, the Pakistani lawyers take-in more money than American lawyers working in the US. How can the supreme court regulate the professional services fee and quality in the best interest of the public?

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Arshad

Dec 27, 2017 06:08pm

This action amply proves that Mian Shahbaz Sharif government is Not functional, except building roads/bridges.

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Hassan Zahoor Khan

Dec 27, 2017 06:31pm

Thanks alot respected Chief Justice for taking notice of this situation regarding these sham medical universities. My request would be that on the same lines private engineering universities should also be held responsible. Engineers are being brought out in the market in the thousands having no solid foundation. If you have money you will get your degree that is what the private universities are doing.

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Ahsan Gul

Dec 27, 2017 07:06pm

Punjab government should have been involved on this issue but lack of wisdom on our elected politicians caused total chaos. Young students are willing to pay large amounts to build their careers just like elected politicians. SC is rightfully involved as there is no one else these students turn to. Two problems that need quick attention. Falling medical education standards and rising colleges fees. Close down substandard colleges. But private colleges can charge whatever if they have high education standards. In democracy, consumers set the price. Government just has to watch out for education these MED students are receiving.

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My Advice

Dec 27, 2017 07:37pm

We should be all proud of Honorable CJ that court is taking actions for benefit and protection of common citizens of Pakistan. If system is abused by few powerful authorities and general public continues to suffer, it is logical that court authorities take notice and step in to take action against abusers. About 25% of poor Pakistani children do not have a school to go. Education system is for nations poor children is kicked around like a football between federal and provincial governments. No one is responsible for millions of children growing up as illeterate adults, devoid of any employable skills. Who is responsible for that.

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Awan

Dec 27, 2017 07:58pm

Students having 50% aggregate can easily get themselves enrolled in Private medical colleges and various Chinese medical Universities.A student who secures 90 marks in entry test,manages to get admission in these private colleges.How can these doctors work properly with those selected and appointed purely on merit? Thumbs up CJ...

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Imran Ahmad

Dec 27, 2017 08:17pm

I am privy to insides of private medical colleges in Karachi. They routinely take students who haven't even done F.Sc. They are openly only interested in money. Even the so called 'best private university is a front for tax evasion and tax exemption. They don't even have faculty for basic sciences. Medicine historically was a selective and exclusive club for the reasons which are more than obvious now. The profession has been bastardised by selling degrees to un-deserving but paying customers.

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koshe

Dec 27, 2017 08:28pm

what about falling standards of law colleges?? We have lawyers who dont even know the ABC of law...These are not medical or law colleges they are poultry farms;opened up in every corner of the street

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SomethingFishy

Dec 27, 2017 09:01pm

@Anti-Corruption_Pakistani Which law allows court to set prices for a private service? Are fees of lawyers regulated? Courts should make sure that UNIVERSITIES implement the standards of education, labs, facilities, teachers etc. That will set apart the bad colleges from the good ones. I know one private college's working to some extent and I know how difficult it is to maintain standards. That is one of the most sought after private medical college in the country and of course charge high. Still hardly meets the ends. And I know how many times that college has rejected donation based admissions, despite being in dire needs of money. Of course every college is not like Shifa but the direction and tone of all this media hype do not seem correct.

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SomethingFishy

Dec 27, 2017 09:06pm

@ibrahim marghoob Do not go there. Ask about government schools those we pay for. What government schools are doing? Those run by out tax money and provincial governments are directly responsible for those. Instead you are after "private business", if you are not happy then take your business somewhere else.

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Nawaz

Dec 27, 2017 10:44pm

@Imran Ahmad The main issue is the lack of transparency, regulations and monitoring systems in a corrupt society where majority of those at the helm of affairs act from expediences not from principles. Supreme court have little option than to address these issues when brought to its attention as the institutions and politicians have failed to deliver. Inefficient tax system is also to blame for financial irregularities and wrongdoings. Office bearers of regulatory bodies like Higher education comission, medical and Bar councils are more interested in the perks associated with their offices than in reforming and monitoring the respective professions.

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Tariq Amir

Dec 27, 2017 10:54pm

Great Step. I salute this brave judge. Now please call all those lawyers who daily attack and humiliate judges openly. And yes don't forger Musharraf, remember him. He is accused of treason!

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Hopeful

Dec 28, 2017 12:20am

All colleges, schools quite openly request the entrants for Donations. This is an old practise at the best Medical & Engineering colleges.

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LAHORI KID

Dec 28, 2017 05:49am

@Imran Ahmad, I must say you have a valid argument in lawyers fees vs private schools. But consider this, if a private school is crowding the classrooms and their students average grades are below average, I think the SC can step in and demand answers. I don't believe the CJP is expecting the schools to charge less, I think what he's concerned about is the fee vs the end results, after all, these students are future doctors, and if they are not schooled properly, we have a bigger issue.

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Khan

Dec 28, 2017 08:05am

Great jester, but Start cleaning first corrupt courts entire nonfunctioning delayed justice entire systems.

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Dr Siddiqui

Dec 28, 2017 08:20am

All private universities need to be scrutinized! Delivering basic and higher education to masses is the responsibility of the state! Education mafia has gone out of control! HLC should be made a federal entity to regulate the deliverance of higher education in the country! New accreditation criteria need to be developed and implemented for all public and private universities all over the country!

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Asad Mahmud

Dec 28, 2017 10:39am

College's are reclaiming the ill gotten wealth of parents,fathers,government employees,inherited wealth usurped of old relatives . Who will investigate them , when all are involved, pay and no questions asked, you buy future for your children. Education is not accessible to salary class? Today lawyers,doctors have their price? What can C.J,do about it,now. Start from private schools --- Graveyards.

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Prof Zubair Abbasi

Dec 28, 2017 12:28pm

Late is better than never! The owners of private Medical & Dental clleges have already made fortune out of it. They are main stake holders of detoriorating medical education standard in Pakistan. By intervention of HC we cannot held them for fortune they have earned but atleast we can prevent standard from further detorioration.

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