PESHAWAR: Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council has launched inquiry against four private sector nursing colleges in Malakand and Swat districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for allegedly holding objectionable programmes in the name of cultural events.

A letter issued by the secretary of Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council (PN&MC) to the principals of the college has mentioned the videos of the events circulating on social media and termed them unethical.

An inquiry panel has been tasked to hold probe into the matter and submit report within a fortnight. According to the letter, principals of Dir College of Nursing Lower Dir, Malakand College of Nursing Timergara, Ismail College of Nursing and Eagle College of Nursing Swat have been asked to appear before the panel.

Titled ‘inquiry into the objectionable culture day events as evident from social media clips’, the letter said that it had come to the attention of PN&MC that unethical activities had taken place in their colleges on the pretext of cultural day.

Owners of institutes term video clips of the events on social media fake

It said that video clips of the events gained publicity and went viral on social media, prompting PN&MC to take exception to it. “The council has taken serious notice of such unethical and objectionable events, which have been organised as co-curricular activities by your colleges while celebrating cultural, farewell and welcome parties,” it added.

The letter said that such ‘immoral’ activities in nursing educational institutes, if proven true, would not only defame the professional identity of the institutions and significantly impact their integrity but would also force parents to stop their daughters from joining nursing profession.

“Therefore, on the direction of competent authority, for the purpose of inquiry proceedings with reference to the allegations, an inquiry committee has been constituted as per Pakistan Nursing Council Act and Professional Code of Conduct Regulations, 2024, to probe the matter,” said the letter.

It said that the inquiry committee should, in accordance with the provisions of PN&MC Professional Code of Conduct Regulations 2024 read with all other enabling provisions of PNC Act, 1973, and Regulations, provide reasonable opportunity of hearing to the persons involved in such activities, delinquents and institutes; record its findings and make, within 14 days of the receipt of the letter and make recommendations.

The Inquiry committee will also check the registration status and compliance of PN& MC regulations and it will be decided by the committee, if all the concerned shall join the proceedings on the date, time and place as the case may be.

Meanwhile, owners of two of the colleges told Dawn that they had received the letter about the allegations of holding unethical events. They denied their involvement in any unethical activity. “We do organise culture days wherein students perform sketches and tableaus in line with local culture and traditions and we will plea our case before the committee,” they added.

The representative of another college said that it was standard practice throughout the country that old students organised welcome parties for the newly-admitted students and the video clips on social media were fake and fabricated. “Even we invite parents of students to such events,” he said. He added that the inquiry would make it clear.

“All the four institutes are private and during inquiry their credentials will also be checked,” sources told this scribe.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2025