Call to revoke MDCAT under PMC

LAHORE : The provincial and Lahore chapters of Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) have demanded restoration of conduct of Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT) by the universities after withdrawing it from the newly-formed Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC).

“The recently-held MDCAT conducted by PMC should be revoked,” said Prof Dr Ashraf Nizami, President PMA Lahore, and Prof Dr Tanveer Anwar, President PMA Punjab, while speaking at a press conference at PMA House here on Wednesday.

PMA Lahore General Secretary Prof Dr Shahid Malik, Vice-President Dr Iram Shahzadi, Joint Secretary Dr Bushra Haq, PMA Punjab General Secretary Dr Rana Sohail, Finance Secretary Dr Wajid Ali, Joint Secretary Dr Ahmad Naeem, leader of Young Doctors Association (YDA), Pakistan, Dr Salman Kazmi and others were present on the occasion. Speaking on the occasion, PMA leadership condemned torture of protesting students and doctors and keeping 200 protesters in lockups of various police stations in Islamabad for protesting against PMC’s policies. They said that PMA pledges complete solidarity with the protesting students, who have been staging their sit-in at D-Chowk for the 13 days.

They demanded government stop interfering in PMC’s affairs to maintain its transparency, independence and autonomous status. They demanded PMC’s office-bearers to resign and also urged Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to conduct an impartial inquiry into the incident. They also demanded resignations of Deputy Commissioner and SSP Islamabad for inflicting worst kind of torture on innocent children.