ISLAMABAD: While the executive committee of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has proposed a Rs1.5 million monthly remuneration for the council’s president and a 100 per cent increase in allowances of its members, the PMDC has claimed that it was merely a proposal and will not be implemented.

According to documents available with Dawn, last month the council’s executive committee at a meeting, chaired by the president, approved a monthly package of Rs1.5 million for the president PMDC and 100pc increase (up to Rs100,000 per meeting) in allowances of members of the council, executive committee and committees and subcommittees for attending meetings physically or through video link.

The matter reached the National Assembly’s standing committee on health where PMDC President Dr Rizwan Taj explained that he does not currently draw any salary. He said a proposal was floated to align his salary with that of a university vice chancellor, but it was never approved. He also said even he does not receive salary as the dean of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims).

However, later documents were leaked regarding the proposal to increase the remuneration and allowances.

PMDC’s stance

The PMDC in a statement said reports about the remuneration of the president were factually incorrect, misleading and devoid of complete legal and institutional context.

“The matter pertains solely to a proposal considered by the Executive Committee in its meeting held on 4th June 2026 which is subject to consideration and approval by the PMDC Council, the competent statutory authority under the PMDC Act, 2022. The Executive Committee acted strictly within the framework of the PMDC Act, 2022, which empowers it to manage the administrative and financial affairs of the Council and to make recommendations on such matters for consideration by the Council. The proposal was made in exercise of the statutory scheme envisaged under Sections 9(2)(a) and 9(2)(o) of the Act, which authorise the Council to determine the terms and conditions of service, remuneration, allowances, and other benefits of its office bearers,” it stated.

The council claimed that it is a financially autonomous statutory regulatory body, meeting its operational and administrative expenditures entirely from its own generated resources. Accordingly, any proposal regarding remuneration does not impose any burden on the national exchequer.

“The Executive Committee while proposing the remuneration took into consideration that the office of the President, PMDC, is a full-time statutory executive position, entrusted with continuous financial, administrative, regulatory, and governance responsibilities. Since assuming office, Prof. Dr. Rizwan Taj has discharged these responsibilities in an honorary capacity and has not drawn any salary from PMDC or any other organisation for performing these full-time statutory functions,” it claimed.

“It is equally important to note that remuneration of the heads of autonomous statutory organisations is a well-established governance practice and is neither unprecedented nor extraordinary. Providing appropriate remuneration to an individual discharging full-time executive responsibilities is consistent with settled principles of institutional governance,” it stated.

The PMDC claimed that the remuneration for the president was not without precedent. Previous presidents of PMC/PMDC had also received remuneration for discharging full-time executive responsibilities.

“The present proposal merely seeks to continue an established institutional practice, subject to approval by the competent authority under the PMDC Act, 2022, and should not be portrayed as a new or extraordinary benefit. PMDC remains committed to transparency, legality, and good governance, and all decisions of the Council and its Committees are taken strictly in accordance with the provisions of the PMDC Act, 2022,” it stated.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2026