ISLAMABAD: The Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of National Health Services have sought a report from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) over a letter from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), which claimed that the ‘lethargic attitude’ of the PMDC was a hurdle in the probe against seven medical colleges.

Earlier this month, FIA Anti-Corruption Cell Deputy Director Muhammad Afzal Khan Niazi wrote a letter to the PMDC registrar, accusing the council of a delay in the completion of the inquiry. In the letter, the FIA had asked the medical and dental council to share information, as the lethargic attitude of the PMDC was halting the finalisation of the subject inquiry. The agency also sought minutes of the meeting held on February 25, pertaining to provisional registration of the said colleges. Besides the PM’s Office, the health ministry also sought a report from the PMDC over the issue.

PMDC Registrar Dr Shaista Faisal, however, blamed the courts and the FIA for the delay. In a written statement shared with Dawn, Dr Shaista Faisal claimed, “If the recognition process of these medical colleges is moving forward after court directives without any accountability for past wrongdoings at the end of PMDC, [it] is due to suspension of high court of show-cause notices issued to [former registrar] Azhar Shah and Sara Rubab. Court also directed not to take any further punitive action against them till further… it apparently looks like previous corruption has been overlooked or covered up.”

Registrar says provided relevant documents to agency; spokesperson says provided relevant record to FIA

“I think it is a tactic the FIA is trying to adopt…ensuring that those responsible for past misconduct face no real consequences. Though, pending inquiry in FIA means a lot to us. And any possible documentation we have provided to them but to give the proof of any bribe received…is difficult to dig out by PMDC but it is easy for FIA. We at the direction of FIA have directed them to declare their assets. But to force them to do so is practically not done by PMDC or FIA,” Dr Shaista Fasial said.

She claimed if the FIA wanted to ensure ‘true accountability,’ then this would require revisiting past decisions and holding those involved accountable.

According to details, the defunct Pakistan Medical Council (PMC) in 2020 approved the provisional recognition of 15 medical and dental colleges, deciding to allow them to enroll students for one year without inspection.

It decided to hold inspections the next year, which did not materialise, but these colleges were allowed to enroll students. During the third year [2022], once again the relevant department took up the issue of inspection, but it was ignored.

Later, the health ministry referred the inquiry to the FIA, but it is incomplete. The FIA has asked if any fresh inspection of these seven colleges had been conducted by the PMDC or if they were still admitting students without inspection.

A PMDC spokesperson said the FIA initially requested the record on April 23, 2024, which indicated that the inquiry had been ongoing for one year. In a written response, the spokesperson claimed that medical colleges were granted provisional recognition in 2020-2021 and 2021-2022, in the absence of any legal provision. Consequently, the matter was taken up by the ministry and referred to the FIA for investigation.

“The FIA through multiple correspondences and meetings sought information/record from the PMDC. The PMDC has consistently and promptly responded to all queries and provided the required information/record as and when acquired. As of today, there is no pending correspondence from the FIA,” the response stated.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2025