PHC moved against PMDC dissolution

PESHAWAR: The dissolution of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has been challenged in the Peshawar High Court that has sought a reply from the federal government on Thursday (tomorrow).

A division bench of the PHC comprising Justice Qaisar Rashid and Justice Nasir Mehfooz on Tuesday issued a notice to the federal government in a writ petition filed by an employee Faridullah Khan against the dissolution of the PMDC and the sacking of its officials. The bench sought a reply from the federal government on Thursday. President Dr Arif Alvi had promulgated an ordinance in October which has left the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) dissolved and paved the way for the establishment of a new organisation namely Pakistan Medial Commission (PMC).

A nine-member body was named to run the PMC the head of which will be called the president.

The employees of PMDC were staging protests against the dissolution of the council and establishment of PMC. The counsel for the petitioner, Fazal Wahid Advocate, told the court that his client was employed in the PMDC in 1993 and his job was regularised in 2001. He argued that PMDC was constituted under the PMDC Ordinance 1962 and the rules for the employees were mentioned in the ordinance.

The counsel added that the President of Pakistan issued an ordinance during the current year about the appointment of the members but that was rejected by the Senate of Pakistan. He added that the president promulgated another ordinance in October under which the PMDC was dissolved and all the employees were sacked. The counsel submitted that the employees were sacked without any reason which was against Article 8 of the Constitution of Pakistan. The counsel requested the court to declare the Pakistan Medical Commission Ordinance against the Constitution and reinstate all the employees of the PMDC. The bench after hearing the arguments issued notices to the federation with the direction to submit their reply by Thursday.