NA okays bill to separate PIMS from SZAB Medical University

Islamabad

The National Assembly on Monday okayed a legislation to provide for separation of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) from the Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University, Islamabad to meet demand of thousands of employees of the PIMS.

Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry who moved the Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (SZAB) Medical University, Islamabad (Amendment) Bill, 2017 said that PIMS, tertiary level hospital was upgraded to become a university which as per SZAB Medical University, Islamabad Act which was anomaly.

“This anomaly in the Act has caused a great resentment among 3000 strongly human resource of PIMS and public at large,” he said.

The statement of objects and reasons of the amendment bill which was passed by lower house of the Parliament on Monday said the entire human resources of the hospital was apprehensive about the hospital becoming a university and they were of the view that their status as civil servants will be endangered which is detrimental to their interests.

It may be pointed out here that employees of PIMS during the last few weeks had been observing complete and token strikes to press for their demand of separation of PIMS from SZAB Medical University.  According to amendments in the Act as allowed by the National Assembly, the PIMS would now be a teaching hospital of the University and it would be headed by and Executive Director instead of Vice Chancellor to be appointed by the Prime Minister as per Civil Servants rules.

Asad Umar MNA from Islamabad and member of the National Assembly standing committee on Cabinet strongly advocated the legislation saying it would help in improving performance of the PIMS and safeguarding interests of employees

All the members except from those hailing from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) opposed the legislation saying that the Government did not like name of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and that was it wanted to down-grade the university.

However, Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the amendment would not have any impacts on status of the University saying that presently 18 institutions including private medical colleges and Federal Medical and Dental College are affiliated with the University having 550 faculty members and 9800 students." How it is possible that a Vice Chancellor of the University also heads a hospital," he said. The amendment bill would now be sent to the Senate for its approval and then it would be signed by the President of Pakistan so that it becomes an Act of the Parliament.