ISLAMABAD, Nov 24: The Senate on Thursday decided to refer the issue of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) to the house standing committee to probe allegations that its performance had not been up to the mark resulting in the decline of the standard of medical education.

The house took cognizance of the fact that the health ministry had failed to implement one of its unanimously passed resolutions which called for sacking of the PMDC secretary.

Earlier, Health Minister Mohammad Naseer Khan informed the house that the PMDC’s high-powered body would meet on Nov 29 to discuss its functioning as well as the Senate resolution.

The house was divided on the call for sacking of the PMDC secretary with some opposition members describing it as ‘too harsh’ and treasury benches asking the health ministry to implement the resolution.

Kamil Ali Agha from the treasury benches termed the health minister’s statement being under pressure from influential people. He said the career of some students was at stake as their degrees had not been recognized. These students had migrated from the Islamabad medical college to the Baqai medical university and completed their education there.

He said the house was conscious of the fact that the PMDC’s delayed decisions could make the future of those students bleak.

Khurshid Barocha, chairman of the house committee on health, said the committee had discussed the issue and it was satisfied that the students who had completed studies at Baqai university should be registered by the PMDC.

Sardar Mahtab Ahmed Khan of the PML-N proposed that the matter needed more discussion and hence it should be referred to the standing committee.

He regretted the mushroom growth of medical colleges in the country in which hundreds of students were enrolled but their degrees are later rejected. He said the PMDC should take notice of this situation.

The health minister admitted that the PMDC had performed poorly in recent years by ignoring the standards for medical colleges before recognizing them.

Sadia Abbasi of the PML-N said that rules and regulations of the PMDC were violated while awarding recognition to private medical colleges.

The Sindh High Court, she pointed out, had issued contempt of court notices to the PMDC for violating of its directives regarding registration of students.

Dr Saeed of the MMA alleged that the health ministry had become a silent spectator while the PMDC was violating the rules.

Chairman Mohammedmian Soomro ruled that the matter be further discussed at the standing committee.