PESHAWAR: Khyber Medical University has asked University of Peshawar (UoP) to avoid admitting students to health sciences as it is in violation of a judgement of Supreme Court of Pakistan as well as KMU Act, 2007.

KMU registrar has informed his counterpart at UoP through a letter that it is the domain of medical universities to offer health-related courses.

He said that the advertisement of UoP regarding admissions to department of pharmacy and health sciences, including BS radiology, cardiology, dentistry, medical lab technology, emergency services, optometry and surgical technology could jeopardise the future of students’ academic and professional career.

According to section 5(1) and (2) of KMU Act, 2007, the university shall exercise the powers conferred on it by or under this Act within the territorial limits of the whole of North West Frontier Province and in respect of such medical colleges and institutions in Federally Administered Tribal Areas as may apply to the university for exercise of its process; provided that government may in consultation with the university, by general or special orders, modify the extent and scope of aforesaid powers of the university with regard to the territorial limits, colleges and institutions.

Registrar says the university will seek affiliation with Allied Health Professionals Council

Section (5) (2) of the Act states: “Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any other enactment for the time being in force, no college of medical and health sciences and postgraduate institutes in health sciences, with in the territorial limits of the university shall, save with the consent of the university and the sanction of government, be associated in any way with or seek admission to the privileges of any other university.”

Quoting the KMU Act, the registrar said that all medical and dental colleges and all institutions of medical and allied health sciences in public sector in NWFP (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) should be affiliated to KMU.

All private medical and dental colleges and institutions of medical and allied health sciences in the province, whether affiliated with or constituent of any other university, examination board or a medical faculty, notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, shall affiliate with the university through a process prescribed hereinafter.

These sections of the Act had been duly saved by notification issued by health department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in August 2012.

The Supreme Court’s judgement regarding technical and territorial jurisdiction of KMU announced on January 19, 2018, also protected and saved the rights of technical and territorial jurisdiction of KMU regarding the grant of affiliation in the field of medical, dental, nursing and allied health sciences both in public and private sectors in the entire Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“As per standing legislative documents, administrative notifications of provincial government, and the apex court’s judgement, your august office is advised to comply with the same and start the affiliation process of the mentioned allied health sciences programmes with KMU,” said the letter.

The letter was written in response to UoP’s programme to induct 700 students in BS courses at the newly-established Institute of Health Sciences and its plan to start MBBS and BDS programmes in future.

UoP registrar Prof Yorid Ahsan Zia, when contacted, said that they had completed formalities and would apply for affiliation with Allied Health Professionals Council for BS courses. “UoP is the oldest university, which conducted MBBS and BDS examination before the establishment of KMU. We have already recruited faculty,” he said.

He said that he would respond to respond to KMU’s letter soon. “Even private universities are offering these courses and we are well-established public sector university in the province,” he added.

Sources said that UoP also planned to start MBBS and BDS courses in future that were likely to create issues as it had no hospital to impart training to students. They said that the move was meant to reduce financial issues of the university through fee collection.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2025