Court reprimands health secretary for not de-sealing PMDC

ISLAMABAD-The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Tuesday reprimanded Secretary Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination for not de-sealing the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) building and directed him to immediately open the building.

A single bench of IHC comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani conducted hearing on a case pertaining to the restoration of the PMDC and contempt of court in which Secretary Health Dr Tauqeer Ahmad Qureshi, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Islamabad Hamza Shafqaat and Ramna police station SHO appeared before the court.

The IHC bench directed the registrar PMDC to start proceedings with limited staff while it also ordered the ministry to immediately remove the security personnel of the ministry.

During the hearing, the health secretary informed the IHC that public gatherings are banned and people in groups gather at the PMDC building.

At this, Justice Kayani reprimanded the health secretary and remarked that he cannot dictate the court. He added that it is the duty of the registrar to see who should visit the PMDC.

He maintained that the federal government has already humiliated Pakistan before the entire world by sealing the PMDC building.

The court gave last warning to the health secretary to open the PMDC building and directed that no person from the ministry or the SHO would visit the PMDC.

The IHC also instructed the health secretary to focus on the internal affairs of the ministry.

The secretary said that he has always listened to all the complainants who visited him. Then, Justice Mohsin said that do you consider yourself as a king?

He further said that respect doctors, as you are also a civil servant. These are not normal circumstances. It is a situation of war. It was October 19, 2019 when President Dr Arif Alvi promulgated an ordinance which left the PMDC dissolved and paved the way for establishment of the PMC.

Subsequently, the Ministry of National Health Services sealed the building of the PMDC and informed its 220 employees that their services had been terminated. However, a single bench of IHC declared the presidential ordinance on February 11 as ultra vires to the constitution and restored PMDC and the services of the employees. Instead of implementing the court decision, the ministry sealed the PMDC building again and stopped council employees from entering.

Article source: https://nation.com.pk/08-Apr-2020/court-reprimands-health-secretary-for-not-de-sealing-pmdc