LAHORE, Nov 25: The Punjab government has given a formal approval for the creation of self-finance 60-seat medical college in the Services Hospital, Lahore, to launch MBBS classes for the forthcoming academic session from Jan 1 next.

The classes will be held at the Postgraduate Medical Institute (PGMI) at Birdwood Road. The PGMI would be merged into the University of Health Sciences as soon as its ongoing diploma courses were completed.

The decision was taken by Governor Khalid Maqbool in a meeting of principal executive officers of autonomous medical and health institutions at the Governor’s House on Monday.

Students who will not be able to get admission on open merit against 1,621 seats in seven medical colleges will be considered for admission to the new college in a separate merit list on self-finance basis.

When contacted, PGMI/Services Hospital Principal Executive Officer Prof Khalilur Rehman said the Pakistani nationals would be given top priority for admission to the new college followed by expatriates and foreign nationals.

He said the government had fixed Rs250,000 per annum fee for Pakistani national day scholars and around Rs300,000 for hostel residents. The fee for foreign nationals has been fixed at $10,000 per annum.

He said the hospital management was looking for a building to develop its hostel.