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Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) building can be seen in this image. — PMDC website/File
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ISLAMABAD: National Assembly (NA) National Health Services, Rules and Harmony Standing Committee on Monday forced senior officials of the Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council (PNMC) and Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) on various issues, especially on private medical colleges.
The committee, which met with MNA Dr Mahesh Kumar Milani, also approved the key legislation on thalassemia screening in the federal capital.
The hottest moment came when the president and secretary of the PNMC failed to appear before the committee despite formal notice. Legislators questioned the justification of the PNMC president’s ability. “He allegedly received a nursing degree on a visa visa from the university, which is not on the HEC list,” said MNA Aaliyah Kamran. According to the committee, the FIA has declared the degree as fake and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has also denied the issuing agency.
“This committee has never felt too powerful.” Dr Malani ordered disciplinary action against the absentee and directed the Ministry of Health to call for a separate meeting on the matter before April 25.
“If we can’t take action, why are we sitting here?” Senior Member Ejaz Jakharani asked, who demanded the Speaker of the National Assembly to join the show cause.
There were also concerns about the allegations of harassment against a senior official, which was previously removed from an important position, but was allegedly restored to a powerful administrative role.
The MNAS claimed that it not only faced the allegations of harassment, but were also making videos of doctors. “This is a matter of integrity and protection of women,” MNA Nasr Ahmed said, demanding an immediate investigation. Dr Malani ordered the Ministry of Health to constitute a committee to investigate the matter.
Meanwhile, the committee welcomed a proposal by the PMDC to regularize the annual tuition fee of private medical and dental colleges, which was increased from Rs 1.8 million to Rs 25 lakh, which has increased by maximum five per cent.
Dr. Malani stressed, “The hat should be strictly implemented. No college should be allowed to charge ahead of this extent.”
The committee also expressed dissatisfaction over the delay in issuing experience certificates to medical professionals and directed that the process be made transparent and timely. He reviewed the latest Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) curriculum, emphasizing that it must be sharing with members before final approval.
In an unusual moment of consensus, the committee unanimously introduced the Islamabad Capital Territory Mandatory Thalassemia Screening Bill, 2025, through MNA Sharmila Farooki.
Explaining the misconceptions, Farooki emphasized, “We are not recommending banning marriages in Thalassemia carriers. We only get informed consent through voluntary testing.”
A clause that made the test compulsory was removed, and the bill was passed closely with poor help-only Kamran of Jof Jof Aaliyah Kamran avoided.
The panel also picked up the decorative facility program, which recommended expansion in areas like Tharparkar and AJK. It called on the Ministry of Health to ensure transparency in the qualification of the hospital and solve human resources problems within the scheme.
In a move to resolve the growing burden of Pakistan’s non -communication diseases, the committee supported the Ministry of Health’s proposal to increase excise duty on diabetes and ultra -processed food by 20 % to 30 %.
Dr Malani directed that the increase in the next finance bill be included and demanded the FBR’s final response before May 2. Thousands of regular health care workers were also raised about employment insecurity.
The committee condemned the Establishment Division’s move to hand over its cases to the FPSC and called for a legal solution to save their job status. “This issue needs a high level resolution,” said Dr. Malani.
