–Court deletes Dr Zafar Mirza’s name from contempt plea
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) reopened on Tuesday soon after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) took up plea seeking contempt of court proceedings against federal secretary health and others for disobeying the court’s order pertaining to the restoration of the council.
A single-member bench of the IHC comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani heard the contempt plea of the council registrar who accused Federal Health Secretary Tanvir Ahmad Qureshi and other officials of creating obstacles in the court order in restoration of the PMDC.
The PMDC, a statutory regulatory authority that oversees medical and dental colleges in Pakistan, was dissolved following a presidential ordinance proclaimed on October 21.
After declaring the ordinance ultra vires to the constitution, the IHC had restored the status of the council almost two months ago but the federal health secretary in connivance with Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration and local police remained reluctant to de-seal the council premises.
Invoking the IHC jurisdiction on behalf of their client, Barrister Zafarullah Khan and Advocate Umer Sajjad moved another contempt plea in the same matter. The court summoned Federal Health Secretary Tanvir Ahmad Qureshi, Joint Secretary Saeedullah Khan Niazi, Section Officer Ali Raza, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Deputy Commissioner (DC) Hamza Shafqat, ICT Magistrate Ali Javed and Ramna Police Station SHO Khurshid in person for Tuesday.
Resuming the hearing of the matter, the bench expressed annoyance over failure in compliance with the court orders and said while addressing federal secretary health that the government has earned bad reputation in world by stopping operation of the PMDC.
Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani further observed that medical graduates were stuck in a limbo whereas practicing doctors could not get their licences renewed. He asked why the federal health secretary was interested to disobeying court orders instead of paying more attention to curbing the spread of coronavirus.
The federal health secretary said that he personally responded to faryad (complaint) of every faryadi (complainant). To which Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani expressed dismay saying, “What do you mean by faryadi? Do you feel like a king? You are a civil servant. Pay respect to doctors as it is a warlike situation in the country.”
Later, the bench asked the government officials to restrain from interfering into the court orders whereas registrar would let them know about strength of the staff in wake of the COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the bench clubbed another contempt plea of former principal of KMU Institute of Medical Science filed through Advocate Sharafat Ali Chaudhry seeking contempt proceedings over non-compliance with the court orders to make functional the PMDC.
The petitioner submitted that the PMDC remained locked due to which thousands of medical graduates, including the daughter of the petitioner, could not get registered as doctors, and this is significant at a time when health professionals are required more than anyone else in the country.
Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, after removing name of Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza with consent of Advocate Sharafat Chaudhry, observed the court will take the matter next week.
