ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court issued notice to the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) and the Attorney General for Pakistan regarding charging by private medical colleges for training for MBBS and BDS.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Yahya Afridi heard the petition of Sajjad Ahmed against a private medical college for charging fee for training for MBBS doctors.

Munir Paracha advocate, representing the petitioner, contended that the Supreme Court vide order dated 12-09-2018 had approved the regulation, which later on incorporated in regulations No 12(3) in the MBBS and BDS (Admissions, House job and Internship) Regulation, 2018, whereby it was provided that private medical and dental institution shall not charge in respect of training for MBBS and BDS as the case may be but the same is being charged now.

The counsel stated that since this was a generic order, therefore, needed to be enforced by all the private medical colleges. The bench said though they had not been able to identify whether the respondent was a party to the proceedings or otherwise nor the Regulator were before it.

The court said, subject to all just exception and without prejudice to the rights of the respondent (Rashid Latif (Proprietor) Rashid Latif Medical College) issued notices to the respondent, the PMDC as well as the Attorney General for Pakistan.

The counsel earlier given undertaking that if at all they were not able to satisfy that the respondent was privy to the orders of this Court, they will bear the legal cost as may be incurred in the matter. The case was adjourned for an indefinite period.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020