Rs745m returned to students: Backdoors to be shut on admission to private medical colleges, says CJP

LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar remarked on Monday that all backdoors on admission to private medical colleges would be closed.

He directed the administrations of private medical colleges to strictly follow the standards, set by Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) including the fee and central admission policy.

A Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, was hearing a suo motu case against exorbitant fee structure of private medical colleges. Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan were other members of the bench.

The CJ remarked: “In any case, permission to receive additional fees from students, in the name of donations, will not be given to private medical colleges.” He warned the counsel for Pakistan Association of Medical Institutions (PAMI) that anyone found guilty of violating the standards would be liable to pay damages. The bench directed the PMDC to hold a meeting with all stakeholders and finalise the standards.

Earlier, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) told the Supreme Court that Rs745 million had been recovered from private medical colleges, which they had received from students in terms of excessive fee and donation for the admission.

FIA Director Muhammad Usman told the bench that the recovered amount had been returned to 23,000 students.

ADR law draft

Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar Monday sought a compliance report from the Punjab government about approval of the alternative dispute resolution (ADR) law draft by the next month.

The three-judge SC bench, headed by the chief justice, was hearing a petition against appointment of Abul Hassan Najami as secretary law and non-implementation of a court order for approval of the ADR law from the cabinet.

However, a law officer told the bench that Najami had already resigned from the post and his resignation was also accepted by the authority concerned.

PVTC daily-wager teachers

APP adds: The Supreme Court Monday adjourned hearing of a suo motu notice against termination of Punjab Vocational Training Council (PVTC) daily-wager teachers till the second week of August.

The SC bench, headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, heard the matter at its Lahore Registry. PVTC Managing Director Sajid Naseer Khan appeared in person and submitted that the terminated teachers were not appointed on regular basis, and they were engaged in view of a ban imposed on recruitment.

He submitted that the budget of the council had been reduced from Rs4 billion to one billion rupees. He submitted that even if the employees were reinstated, the council would not be able to pay them salaries. The court was informed that the PVTC employees were being paid Rs175 per hour.

The Punjab advocate general requested the court to adjourn the matter till formation of the next government, as it was a policy matter.

The CJ, seeking a reply from the AG Punjab, observed that it was an example of the worst exploitation. "We would not leave the teachers alone to suffer," he added. The apex court took notice on an application of a female teacher, who stated that daily-wager teachers were terminated without any reason and notice.