ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Association of Private Medical and Dental Institutions (PAMI) has challenged the grading list of medical colleges issued by Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

While giving arguments in the petition, counsel for PAMI Ashtar Ausaf said issuing the grading list of medical colleges was the domain of the Higher Education Commission (HEC).

Later, Justice Aamer Farooq issued notice to the PMC.

Mr Ausaf said PMC had issued two notifications regarding inspection and grading system of medical colleges. He said it was the mandate of HEC to do grading of medical colleges and alleged that PMC was doing grading and inspection under PMC Ordinance 2019 which had already been suspended by IHC.

He said PMC had no authority to enforce a law which had been suspended by the IHC.

Despite the fact that the commission had assured the court not to make the mock inspection 2019 public, a list has been issued in which the Aga Khan and CMH colleges have been included in the A-plus category.

Meanwhile, PMC issued golden handshake letters to 13 of its employees on July 7.

In the letters, the employees have been informed that pursuant to the powers vested in the Medical and Dental Council under Section 8(2)(a) of the Pakistan Medical Commission Act 2020, the council had duly approved a voluntary severance package to be offered to eligible employees of the PMC.

“You are required to accept the offer within a period of 10 days from the date of this letter failing which it shall be considered and deemed a refusal on your part to accept the offer. In the event of refusal, you shall not be entitled to benefit from the scheme or avail of it,” it stated.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2021