PRESIDENT Arif Alvi promulgated a Pakistan Medical and Dental Council Ordinance recently. In my opinion it will adversely affect the PMDC, which is a regulatory body responsible for the registration of doctors and monitoring medical education.

According to the ordinance, a 17-member council will be formed whose members will be nominated. This is against the PMDC’s constitution. The Pakistan Medical Association — a big stakeholder in PMDC’s smooth running —has categorically rejected this ordinance, because it is feared the move will lead to autocracy and nepotism besides opening the doors to corruption.

I wonder whether the government has considered the pros and cons of this ordinance. It will face an uphill task in this context in getting a bill passed from both houses. The council it will set up will be dissolved and an ad hoc committee appointed, and the game of musical chairs will go on.

Why can’t we opt for the democratic and legal way to settle this issue once and for all? The President is himself a medical professional and an educated and enlightened person. This is not the Naya Pakistan for which the nation voted.

Dr Mirza Ali Azhar

Karachi

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2019