ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday issued notices to the Ministry of National Health Services, the Ministry of Interior, the Pakistan Medical Council (PMC) and others on a petition challenging the results of the recently-held Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Tests (MDCAT).The petition was filed in accordance with the last will of late scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan.
The petition, filed by Supreme Court advocate Mohammad Waqas Malik as co-petitioner on Monday, requested the high court to set aside the results of the MDCAT. It cited the Ministry of National Health Services, the federation through the Ministry of Interior, the PMC, the Ministry of Law and other departments as respondents.
The petitioners pleaded that the PMC Conduct of Examination Regulations 2021 may be set aside for being contrary to the fundamental rights and the respondents be directed to not expose young students to “violent policies”.
During Tuesday’s hearing, presided over by Justice Babar Sattar, the court sought response from the ministries and directed them to submit their replies within the next three weeks.
The court also sought a record of cases registered against medical students from the interior ministry and asked authorities to inform the court about the process of conducting the National Licencing Examination (NLE). Advocate Malik contended that a centralised order cannot be issued after the 18th Amendment and urged the court to set aside the PMC Conduct of Examination Regulations 2021.
He added that baton-charging of young doctors was tarnishing the country’s image globally. “Introducing a new system for conducting exams without giving students appropriate time is not right,” he said.–Agencies
