SHC dismisses contempt-of-court plea against PMC over medical admissions test

The Sindh High Court on Tuesday disposed of a plea seeking contempt of court proceedings against the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) over its decision to conduct a Medical and Dental College Admissions Test (MDCAT) on November 29.

A two-member bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Arshad Hussain Khan, dismissed the petition, observing that the documents placed on record reflected the court’s previous order had been complied with and a common syllabus had been drawn up by the National Medical and Dental Academic Board (NMDAB).

The petitioners, represented by advocate Jibran Nasir, were seeking contempt charges against the PMC for announcing the exam date without forming an academic board and preparing a common syllabus.

During Tuesday’s hearing, the PMC through its counsel Zeeshan Abdullah submitted comments before the bench, stating that Prime Minister Imran Khan had appointed members of the NMDAB and they had drawn up a common syllabus for the MDCAT exam which would be held on November 29 across the country.

The bench, after reviewing the documents submitted by the defendants, observed that no contempt of court was made out and hence the petition was disposed of. During the previous hearing, while cancelling the November 15 MDCAT admission exam, the high court had underlined in its order that since the National Medical & Dental Academic Board had not been formed under the Pakistan Medical Commission Act, 2020, the “MDCAT cannot be

conducted”. According to the court ruling, the board will have “the powers to formulate the examination structure and standards for the MDCAT for approval of the council”.