PMDC admission regulations restored

LAHORE :A Lahore High Court division bench on Monday suspended a decision of a single bench and restored admission regulations-2019 framed by Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC).

A single bench comprising Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti had on October 14 set aside the 2019 admission regulations and ruled that the PMDC had not been vested with any power under its Ordinance 2019 as it then was to amend the protected regulations, 2018.

It had ordered that excluding the impugned amendments the admission shall be made on the basis of the formula given in protected regulations, 2018 framed by the acting PMDC. Several overseas Pakistani students had challenged the amendments to the regulations for being unconstitutional and contrary to their fundamental rights.

The PMDC challenged the decision through an intra court appeal, which the division bench headed by Justice Ayesha A Malik heard and granted the stay.

PMDC counsel Chaudhry Umar argued that the single bench passed the impugned decision beyond facts. He said the PMDC had the powers to make and amend the regulations. Therefore, he said, no illegality or irregularity had been committed nor modification in the existing regulations was beyond the scope of its power.

He further said the petitioners/students admitted the policy, appeared in entrance tests and when failed to obtain required percentage according to new formula approached the court challenging the regulations.

Advocate Mian Aslam, representing one of the petitioners, argued that the Ordinance 2019 was presented by the government for its approval in the parliament but it lost its life on account of its withdrawal from the process of authorisation from the parliament.

He said the power to amend, modify or repeal regulations was missing in the Ordinance; therefore, the council was not competent to validly amend or modify the admission regulations.

After hearing both sides, the bench suspended the decision of the single bench and restored admission regulations-2019. The bench sought detailed arguments on next hearing to be fixed by the office later.

PCB issued notice on plea against Misbah: The Lahore High Court on Monday issued notice to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on a civil miscellaneous application praying to immediately stop former captain Misbahul Haq from working on different posts including head-coach of the national men’s cricket team.

Syed Ali Zahid Bokhari, a lawyer by profession, filed the application in his pending main petition against the appointment of Haq as a head-coach, batting coach and chief selector in the cricket board.

Referring to a disgraceful defeat in recently held T20 series with Sri Lanka, the petitioner stated before the court that the performance of the national team will get worsen if the respondent was further allowed to hold the position of head-coach. He said the team selection by the respondent was very poor, which resulted into the defeat. He urged the court to pass a stay order and immediately restrain the respondent from working.

Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti observed that the court was not supposed to decide who should play in the team or not. The judge issued a notice on the application seeking reply from the PCB by next week. The lawyer in his main petition had contended that the former captain lacked required experience to coach the team. He said the appointment had been made in a secret manner and without merit.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan and Haq were distant maternal cousins and the PCB showered blessings on the latter to please the former. He said PCB, CEO, Waseem Khan at a press conference admitted that Haq did not possess required experience. Misbahul Haq was appointed as head coach and chief selector for a three- year term.