SC orders FIA, NAB to probe into affiliations granted to medical colleges

The Supreme Court on Saturday directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to hold a probe into affiliation granted to private medical/dental colleges during the period of Dr Asim Hussain as president of Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC).
Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar was hearing a suo motu case about excessive fee structure of private medical institutions here on Saturday.
He also approved a plan submitted by Health Secretary Najam Shah and court's amicus curie Professor Dr Faisal Masood to accommodate those eligible students who could not get admissions by creating five extra seats at each private medical college.
Earlier, Barrister Syed Ali Zafar appeared on behalf of Pakistan Association of Private Medical Institutions (PAMI) and contended that Terms of References (ToRs) for the audit of the colleges had not been finalized as a chartered accountant firm selected by the court refused to carry out the process.
A F Ferguson, chartered accountancy firm, also presented a report before the court wherein the company expressed its inability to become part of the exercise owing to conflict of interest. The Chief Justice expressed his wonder on the firm's response and observed that if there was any conflict of interest the same should have been stated previously.
The chief justice sought personal appearance of a senior official from the accountancy firm on next hearing.
Recalling a previous direction in case of Pak-Red Crescent Medical & Dental College in Phoolnagar, the chief justice directed all private medical & dental colleges of the country, except Agha Khan University Karachi, to refund within one month the fee collected from students over and above Rs 850,000 excluding charges of hostel and transportation. The dues received by University of Health Sciences and the PMDC would also be not refunded.
During his last schedule in Lahore, Chief Justice Nisar had visited the Phoonlnagar's college and ordered to arrest its officials for lack of mandatory facilities and receiving more than Rs 2 million as fee from students. The chief justice had also referred the matter to the FIA.
FIA Director Dr Usman Anwar was present in the court with his report while lawyer of the crescent college informed the chief justice that the order of the court regarding excessive fee refund had been complied with in its letter and spirit.
PAMI's counsel Ali Zafar complained to the chief justice the FIA had started inquiries against all private colleges taking undue advantage of the court's action against the college in Phoolnagar.
Dr Asim Hussain also submitted his written recommendations before the court for improvement in the medical education sector.
He was giving his view on the fee refund when Chief Justice Nisar told him there had been complaints regarding affiliation granted to private colleges during his tenure as president of the PMDC.
"If I start recovery myself, you will also have to pay Rs 4 billion," the chief justice reminded the former president of the PMDC who is also a leader of Pakistan People's Party.
The chief justice directed the NAB and the FIA to hold an investigation into the recognitions given to private medical colleges by the PMDC during the period of Dr Asim Hussain and submit a report within a month.
The chief justice also restrained the FIA from causing harassment to any institution and directed its director to seek prior permission from the court's registrar office before taking any action.
"We want only bonafide people enter the medical education sector," observed Chief Justice Nisar when counsel of a private medical college questioned harshness of new registration criterion set by the PMDC. Advocate Munawarul Islam said there would be no new college if the latest standards of the PMDC were enforced. He said the private institutions had filled the vacuum which the public sector was unable to do.
"We heard that butchers are also running medical institutions," the chief justice regretted and said the vacuum was self-created as public institutions had been spoiled deliberately to flourish the private sector.