Govt urged to appoint KEMC principal

LAHORE:Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) Lahore Sunday raised serious concerns over the absence of a principal at King Edward Medical University (KEMU) college since 2021.

In an emergency meeting of PMA Lahore, chaired by Prof Dr Ashraf Nizami, senior office-bears lamented that despite the government restoring the college's status in 2021, the principal's position has remained vacant following the retirement of Prof Saqib Saeed. The meeting revealed that while the college was revived and a principal was initially appointed, the position has been unfilled since Dr Saeed’s retirement, causing administrative delays.

Medical teachers appointed by the university are currently overseeing the responsibilities, which the PMA considers problematic, as these positions are designated for college faculty, not university staff. According to the PMA, the health department had allocated these positions under the sanctioned new establishment (SNE) for the medical college, but these slots are being occupied by university-recruited staff, contrary to regulations.

This situation has contributed to a growing deadlock and frustration among medical professionals, it added. PMA General Secretary Dr Shahid Malik called on Punjab’s CM, Health minister, and secretary to immediately appoint a principal for King Edward Medical College.

He also urged that the college’s positions be officially separated from the university’s roles to allow doctors recruited through the Punjab Public Service Commission to fill these posts. This, he argued, would help resolve the ongoing administrative deadlock and ease the concerns of medical professionals.