Zubair Qureshi
The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat was told by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) President Dr Tariq Iqbal Bhutta that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was investigating as many as seven cases against a former registrar of the council due to which he was made Officer on Special Duty (OSD), but despite that he had been getting Rs500,000 per month salary.
He was briefing the Senate’s committee about various issues concerning PMDC working and performance.
The committee chaired by Senator Talha Mahmood asked the PMDC president not to terminate services of its employees as they have been protesting suspension of health allowance by the council. The committee asked PMDC that the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules should be followed for appointment of new employees.
The PMDC management has been facing criticism by the employees who claim that it is planning to terminate their services. Moreover, last week the employees held a sit-in against the management for suspending the health allowance which resulted in around 30 per cent decrease in their salaries.
PMDC President Prof Dr Tariq Iqbal Bhutta while briefing the committee said there were 224 employees in the council of which 196 were regular, 18 on contract and 10 working on daily wages, while one employee was there on deputation. He said that all appointments were made on merit.
“For the post of registrar, we had received 57 applications. After interviews, 21 candidates were picked of which five were shortlisted and finally one candidate was appointed as registrar,” he said.
“No employee of the council would be terminated,” he told the committee adding there was an audit para regarding the health allowance due to which it had been stopped. It was also stated that as many as four of 17 members of the council were removed and three new members were appointed.
The committee chairman directed the council to ensure merit to bring improvement in its working.
Meanwhile, while taking up the issues of contract employees of Cardiac Centre at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Secretary Ministry of National Health Services (MNHS) Dr Allah Bakhsh Malik said the ministry was in favour of regularisation of staff.
“We support regularization because the staff is experienced and has been performing well. Moreover doctors, who have served for 12 years are far better than fresh ones. We have sent a letter to the ministry of law suggesting extension of contract of the staff,” he said.
The committee directed to extend the contracts of doctors till December 31 and decided to keep the issue on the agenda till it was addressed.
