PESHAWAR, Nov 22: The NWFP Assembly on Wednesday adopted a bill withdrawing a ban on private practice by doctors serving in public sector hospitals in the province.

Health Minister Inyatullah Khan had introduced the NWFP Medical and Health Institutions and Regulations of Health-Care Services (Amendment) Bill, 2006, three weeks ago. The house adopted it with some amendments proposed by opposition and treasury benches.

Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah, former governor, had banned private practice by doctors serving in government hospitals. He had introduced a new method of institution-based practice (IBP), wherein doctors, hospital employees and the hospital would share the earnings. But some senior doctors teaching in medical colleges did not accept the new system and resigned. This created a crisis-like situation in the health sector, but the government resolved it by promoting junior cadre.

Despite stringent measures, the government failed to implement the IBP system.

The NWFP Assembly’s standing committee on health had recommended to the government to end the IBP system and reinstate the senior doctors.

The Mutahidda Majlis-i-Amal government had tabled an amended bill in the house on Nov 1, which was adopted on Wednesday. However, the bill has no mention of reinstating the doctors, whose sacrifice paved the way for ending the IBP system.

Speaking on the bill, Nasreen Khattak of the Pakistan People's Party (Sherpao) proposed an amendment to Section 11 of the bill, saying seniority of cadres should be maintained from the date of their appointment in the health department.

Earlier, on a point of order, Naeema Kishwar from Gujar Garhi, Mardan, drew the attention of the house towards mysterious kidnapping of four girls from the Mardan Darul Amaan.

She requested the chair to ask the government to inform the assembly on it.

Riffat Akbar Swati of the PPP (S) observed that the four girls on their own could not manage a run-away. She said someone, inside the shelter house, had facilitated their kidnappers.

Khalil Abbas of the Awami National Party said an increase in kidnapping incidents had been witnessed in the last one year.

He said Afghan refugees were involved in the incidents. He claimed that they (Afghan refugees) had gunned down a policeman in Pabbi and abducted two others who chased them to the Torkham border. He alleged that the Afghan refugees had turned the Jalozai camp into a crimes den and asked the government to send them back to their country.

Opposition Leader Shahzada Mohammad Gustasip Khan said some people had tried to kidnap sons of Nighat Orakzai from outside their house. He urged the government to take stern action against people involved in kidnapping incidents.

Information Minister Asif Iqbal assured the house that the government would hold an inquiry into kidnapping incidents and take action against the culprits.

The assembly also discussed the issue of ghost schools.

During the question-answer session, Jamshed Khan of the PPP (Sherpao) raised the issue of non-functional school building in the Khadukhel area of Buner.

He said a building for a girls’ primary school had been constructed in the area in 1993-94, but it had not been commissioned so far.

MMA member Amir Zada Khan pointed out non-availability of teachers in two primary schools in the Kalam area. He said the schools had been built in 1999 and 2004, but staff had not been provided to them.

PPP parliamentary leader Abdul Akbar Khan said a large number of ghost schools still existed in remote areas. He said buildings had been constructed, but the education department had yet to provide staff.

He said the minister should produce statistics about non-functional schools in the house.

Education Minister Maulana Fazle Ali Haqqani said that in the past a number of school buildings had been constructed without approval of the department. He said that in many areas the buildings had not been handed over to the education department.

He said the education department would take up the issue with the finance department and would demand teaching staff for non-functional schools. He said figures of such schools would be presented in the house.

The speaker adjourned the session till Thursday.