ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) is considering introducing a compulsory golden handshake scheme (CGS) and voluntary severance scheme (VSS) for its employees working for decades.

On the other hand, it has decided to appoint new employees at salaries more than that of those who have been working for many decades.

According to minutes of a PMC meeting, available with Dawn, Section 8 of the PMC Act gives exclusive power to the Medical and Dental Council to appoint members, employees and officers of the commission. The section also empowers the council to institute a VSS and CGS.

According to the minutes, the VSS and CGS document was placed before the council of the PMC by the member administration for consideration.

Document placed before council, to be sent to federal govt for approval

The council was informed that the VCC and CGS document had been jointly prepared by the administration, legal and finance departments. After approval, the scheme will be forwarded to the federal government for final approval.

On the other hand, the document showed that the council was informed that with reference to the grading structure approved in the 5th council meeting, a minor change was required in the salary bracket of the administrative staff (Grade A-6).

Earlier, the approved starting salary was Rs160,001 with an annual increment of Rs5,500 and the closing salary Rs215,000.

However, now the increment will be Rs7,500 and the closing salary would be Rs235,000.

The council unanimously approved the change to the salary bracket.

Moreover, it was decided that the PMC Vice President Ali Raza will chair the human resource committee.

A number of times, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) was made dysfunctional by successive governments. During the tenure of the current government, the PMDC was converted into the PMC on September 16, 2020, after the Pakistan Medical Commission Act 2020 was passed in a joint session of parliament and later signed by President Dr Arif Alvi.

According to a copy of the Act, the PMC shall consist of three components - Medical and Dental Council, National Medical and Dental Academic Board and National Medical Authority.

Earlier, there were permanent status of employees of the PMDC but PMC has changed their status to contractual. The services of over a dozen employees have been terminated while dozens of new inductions have been made.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2021