By Our Reporter KARACHI – Criticizing Senator Syed Aitezaz Ahsan and Senator Karim khawaja for referring the PMDC Ordinance to the CCI, PMA leaders said that it was beyond one’s comprehension that why the senators objected over its approval by the Senate and insisted on sending the same to the CCI despite knowing the ordinance will lapse on April 25 if not approved by upper house of the parliament. Terming the act of referring the PMDC Ordinance to the Council of Common Interests (CCI) `a pre-planned conspiracy’to restore the council’s former president Prof Masood Hameed and vice president Dr Asim Hussain, Pakistan Medical Association on Monday demanded of the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suomoto notice of the matter, or else it will be disastrous for medical education and health delivery system in the country. Criticizing Senator Syed Aitezaz Ahsan and Senator Karim khawaja for referring the PMDC Ordinance to the CCI, PMA leaders said that it was beyond one’s comprehension that why the senators objected over its approval by the Senate and insisted on sending the same to the CCI despite knowing the ordinance will lapse on April 25 if not approved by upper house of the parliament. The issue was raised by PMA leaders at a press conference held here at PMA House on Monday. The news conference was addressed by PMA Centre’s secretary general Dr. Mirza Ali Azhar, finance secretary Dr. S.M.QaisarSajjad, PMA Karachi chapter president Dr. Shaukat Ali Malik, general secretary Dr. Ahmed Bhimani and vice president Dr. Jamaluddin Shaikh, who is also Member PMDC. A press release issued by the PMA on the occasion inter alia stated: “PMDC was under the control of an illegal, unconstitutional and corrupt mafia for years and years. PMA raised this issue time and again. In August 2015, PMA wrote a letter to the Honorable Chief Justice of Pakistan. The Honourable Chief Justice took a notice and called PMA representative to appear in Supreme Court on Aug 26 2015. After giving a patient hearing and taking a serious notice of this unfortunate situation, the Honourable Chief Justice directed the Attorney General and Health Ministry to dissolve the illegal body, form an interim setup, hold elections and restructure PMDC by issuing an ordinance. Honorable President of Pakistan issued the ordinance on;8 Aug 28. Subsequently, the ordinance was passed by the National Assembly as per constitutional requirement. The same ordinance was presented before the Senate for making it a law on April 22, 2016 whereas its cutoff date was April 25.” Elaborating, the press release added “it is very unfortunate to learn that the two champions of democracy, advocates of human rights and followers of constitution, namely Senator Aitezaz Ahsan and Senator Karim Khawaja, objected to its approval and insisted on send it to the council of common interest (CCI). In these circumstances, it is feared that this ordinance will be lapsed and as a result the previous regime might stage its comeback. It is happens, it will be a disastrous for the medical education, health delivery system,teaching and training.” “We strongly condemn this cowardly act of the two Senators which is totally based on the interest of their party members. Probably they do not understand the consequences of the developing situation. According to constitution, PMDC is a regulatory body, it is not a provincial subject and hence (its ordinance) cannot be sent to the CCI,” the press release added. Meanwhile, PMA leaders also held the Ministry of Health responsible for the mess created in the wake of inordinate delay in getting the PMDC ordinance passed by the Senate.
