ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) told the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday that a total of Rs34 million was paid in monthly salaries to the 222 employees of the dissolved Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC).

The commission informed the court that an employee who was made an officer on special duty and had not been working had been paid Rs590,000 a month for five years. A private secretary was being paid Rs600,000, while drivers and peons were drawing up to Rs120,000 and Rs148,000 – more than the salary of a gazetted officer.

In response to the court’s direction to clear outstanding dues of PMDC employees whose services had been terminated, the PMC told the IHC that issues regarding salaries have been resolved.

The council for the commission, advocate Saad Khan, submitted documents related to the salaries of PMDC employees.

According to these documents, the basic salaries of the council’s 222 employees came to Rs10.4m, and they received Rs20.1m in allowances.

PMC tells court issues regarding salaries of former PMDC employees have been resolved

Under the presidential ordinance that dissolved the PMDC, the sacked employees are to receive six months’ pay.

The counsel told the court that the PMDC has disbursed six months’ basic salary among the sacked employees. He said the accountant general of Pakistan revenue (AGPR) did not release the salaries of former employees because there were outstanding loans against some of them.

He added that since the IHC had ordered the disbursement of salaries to employees of the dissolved PMDC, the PMC coordinated with the bank to ensure the court order was complied with.

On Nov 18, IHC Justice Mohstin Akhtar Kayani had issued directions to release the salaries of terminated PMDC employees before Dec 5, the date fixed by the court for the hearing of this case.

The court allowed to the recruitment process to continue while hearing arguments against new inductions in the commission, but made it clear that the fate of new employees would be decided with the final decision on identical petitions that have been filed against the dissolution of the PMDC and establishment of the PMC.

The petitions contended that PMDC employees were terminated without giving them an opportunity for hearing. They expressed apprehensions that the new PMC may hire the services of new employees against sanctioned and contractual positions through other modes after the issuance of advertisements, which would jeopardise the vested rights to serve the previous employees of the PMDC.

They asked the court to declare ordinance establishing the PMC unconstitutional and, in the meantime, allow the former PMDC employees to continue working in the new commission.

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2019