Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Senators Friday urged the government to provide relief to the poor and criticized legislation through ordinances by bringing bills in Parliament for approval.
Continuing debate on present economic situation and on the passage of ordinance of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), leader of the opposition in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq said normal legislation process was not being followed while issuing PMDC ordinance. Ordinances could only be issued in an emergency situation or when the National Assembly and Senate were not in session, he added.
He said legislation through ordinances was not the right way, adding that the PMDC ordinance should be taken back. He said PMDC office was sealed, occupied and documents in the office were taken away and hundreds of employees were removed from their jobs. New PMDC ordinance was not beneficial for the public and private colleges were given free hand in fixing fees and no standards were set for the private medical education, he continued. Senator Dr Sikandar Mendro said Pakistan Medical Council was formed after creation of Pakistan, replacing the British Medical Council.
Overnight abolishing the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council through an ordinance after disapproval of an earlier ordinance was not appropriate, he remarked. He said that even before the meeting of the Standing Committee of Senate, the ordinance was issued.
According to new ordinance, non-elected persons were made members of the council, he added. According to ordinance, persons not related to medical profession would be members of the commission and council, Dr Mendro added.
Senator Mushtaq Ahmed said Pakistan had 168 medical colleges regulated by Medical and Dental Council. He said the Parliament had rejected the ordinance four times, adding even Supreme Court had passed adverse remarks against legislation through ordinances.
