ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has established a 25-member committee to address medical education issues and discuss adjusting students, who have returned from Kyrgyzstan, in Pakistani medical colleges..

The committee, headed by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will hold its first meeting on Friday in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs This was revealed by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar during a press conference on Wednesday.

The members of the committee include Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, PM Coordinator on Health Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, MNA Dr Nafisa Shah, retired Maj-Gen Azhar Kayani, secretaries of ministries of health and foreign affairs, HEC chairman , PMDC PresidentDr Rizwan Taj, Vice Chancellor (VC) Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Medical University Prof Tariq Iqbal, Dean Khyber Medical College Dr Mehmood Aurangzeb, provincial secretaries and others.

A member of the committee, wishing not to be named, said during the meeting on Friday challenges the public sector and private medical colleges facing will be discussed.

Moreover, quality of education would also be discussed. We will also look into the deficiency of seats in public sector and private medical colleges so that the difference of demand and supply could be bridged,” he said.

He said the committee would also look into the registration process of the medical colleges and will also discuss the admission of students in medical colleges which were not registered.

“The committee will also devise a policy regarding admission of students in foreign medical colleges and will also analyse that how many of them were studying abroad,” he said. While replying to a question, he said that the committee would also discuss the issue of adjusting students returning from Kyrgyzstan as a large number of them were studying in admitted in medical colleges there.

After violent clashes in Bishkek, hundreds of Pakistani students have returned.

The committee member said he visited central Asian states in early 2000 and was shocked to know that there faculty members of medical colleges were getting much lesser salary as compared to peons in Pakistan.

“The faculty members used to generate some amount by preparing question papers and through marking of answer sheets. On the other hand, students, who get third division in Pakistan, are allowed to get admissions in central Asian countries,” he said.

“It is unfortunate that now efforts have been started to adjust those students, who even can not get admission in nursing colleges, in medical colleges of Pakistan,” he said.

He said that the committee will submit its report in 10 days.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2024