Supreme Court orders PMDC to decide about three new medical colleges

The Supreme Court (SC) on Sunday ordered Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) to finalize the applications of three new medical colleges including Al-Aleem Medical College Lahore, Niazi Medical College Sargodha and CMH Kharian Medical College for recognition in a week's time. The court directed the PMDC to scrutinise the applications of the said colleges in accordance with the new criteria besides allowing three months time to meet the deficiencies and shortcomings as per set criteria.
The court also directed the owners/ administration to submit on affidavit that they would be subject to legal and civil action in case of non-compliance. The bench comprising Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and Justice Ijazul Ahsan passed the orders while lifting a ban on the recognition of new medical colleges to the extent of petitioner-colleges on their applications in suo motu notice against exorbitant fee structure of private medical colleges.
At the outset of the hearing, the bench criticised Pak Red Crescent Medical College (PRCMC) administration for not providing required facilities and completing the faculty in the college. However, PRCMC's counsel submitted that due to various reasons, the college faced certain problems and requested the court to grant six months time to overcome the shortcomings. To which, the bench observed that it could not allow six months time and directed the authorities concerned to overcome the shortcomings within three months.
A Federal Investigation Agency representative also submitted a report on the investigations, carried out into the PRCMC issue in compliance with the court orders. The counsel, on behalf of Al-Aleem Medical College and Niazi Medical College, requested the bench for directions to the PMDC for finalizing their applications for their recognition. At this, the bench ordered the PMDC to finalize their applications in accordance with the criteria while adjourning the further hearing.