PESHAWAR, Nov 1: A two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court has dismissed a writ petition of 70 general medical practitioners, praying the court they should be given permit by the health department to prescribe antibiotics to patients.

The bench comprising Justice Tariq Pervaiz and Justice Abdur Rauf Laghmani directed the petitioners first to approach concerned officials of health department and in case of non- acceptance of their request by the department they could move the high court.

The petitioners, Fazal Rabi and others, stated that they were medical practitioners of Allopathic system, but were lacking permit under Rule 4 of Allopathic System (Prevention of misuse) Rules 1968.

The petitioners claimed that they applied to the concerned officers several times for grant of permit to prescribe antibiotics.

They added that as the respondents were under the influence of Pakistan Medical Association, therefore they were reluctant to issue permits to the petitioners. They added that the issuance of permits to them would wipe out the monopoly of registered medical practitioners under the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council.

The practitioners claimed that in past they had filed various petitions, but during course of proceedings the health officials made commitment various times but did not fulfil the same. They added that now they were served with notices under NWFP Private Medical Institutions (Regulation of Service) Ordinance, 1984. They added that the said ordinance was not applicable to them.

Deputy advocate general, Tariq Jawed appeared for the provincial government and advocate Mian Abdul Aziz represented the petitioners. The district health officer, Peshawar, Saleem Ghandapur appeared before the court and informed that the petitioners had never submitted applications with them and if they submit the same they would decide the issue at the earliest.

The court decided that the petitioners should first submit applications before the health department.

Lower Dir budget: Convenor district council Lower Dir, Haji Mohammad Rasool Khan on the directives of district Nazim, Dr Mohammad Yaqoob Khan has convened the budget session of the council on November 7 at 9:30am at the hall of education complex, Balambat colony, Timergara.