CJP vows to ensure protection of fundamental rights of people

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Thursday expressed his resolve for ensuring protection of fundamental rights of the people and reiterated his commitment for the improvement of health and education sector in the country.

“Wherever there is an issue of basic right to live and protection of basic fundamental rights, I will be there to ensure and this step should not be taken as an interference with anyone else’s power,” the CJP remarked.

He gave these remarks while heading a three-member bench hearing the suo moto case regarding private medical colleges charging the exorbitant fee from the students in the name of donation as well as petition of PMDC against private medical colleges.

Reacting to the criticism made on his recent visit to Mayo Hospital in Lahore, the Chief Justice vowed for improving the health sector adding that he would continue visiting hospitals for ensuring fundamental rights of the people and provision of adequate medical facilities.

At the same time, the Chief Justice said that if needed he will also visit every Sunday medical colleges to examine if these medical institutions are established as per legal requirement and according to the relevant criteria.

Earlier, Barrister Syed Ali Zafar, counsel for private medical and dental colleges through Pakistan Association of Private Medical & Dental Institutions (PAMI), commenced his arguments on the constitutional validity of the Council of PMDC and the legality of the Regulations framed by it.

He said that the present Council of PMDC is illegal and functioning unlawfully because it was created under PMDC (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015 which lapsed on April 25, 2016, therefore the Council and all acts done and Regulations passed by it were also unlawful.