ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday criticised the government for getting Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) Ordinance 2019 extended for another 120 days without allowing a discussion on the floor of the parliament.

Talking to mediapersons at the Parliament House soon after adjournment of the National Assembly session, the PPP chairman alleged that the government had once again misused the Parliament by denying the opposition the right to speak on the PMC ordinance.

After failing to get the controversial ordinance approved by Parliament within the required time-limit, the government through a resolution on Monday sought its extension for another 120 days with effect from Feb16 amid opposition’s protest. Through another similar resolution, the NA also approved 120-day extension to the Medical Tribunal Ordinance, 2019.

President Arif Alvi had promulgated the two ordinances on Oct 19 last year.

The PMC Ordinance had left the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) dissolved.

A day after promulgation of the ordinances, despite Sunday, Ministry of National Health Sciences had sealed the building of the PMDC and it was informed that the service of 220 employees of the council had been terminated from their services. The sacked employees of the PMDC have been protesting since then and almost all the major opposition parties have extended their support to them.

Mr Bhutto Zardari said the PMC ordinance had been ‘forcibly extended’ and the parliament was ‘wounded’.

“If the government wants to use executive powers and forcibly makes laws then the parliament should be shut down,” he said, adding that every political party should have the opportunity to present its stance in the parliament.

The PPP chairman said the opposition wanted to convey why the young students were opposing the PMC ordinance, which was also against the interest of the doctors.

“We want to become the voice of the students. The country is hurt and institutions are weakened by such ordinances,” he said.

On the issue of the transfer of IG Sindh, the PPP chairman said the 18thConstitution Amendment was being violated. He alleged the federation was contaminating administration’s role for establishing law and order in the province. The PPP, he said, had improved law and order in Sindh but because of the federal government, the law and order situation had become worse.

Mr Bhutto Zardari said the government had made an agreement with the IMF which was against the people of Pakistan. The government will have to review the deal with IMF, he said.

Regarding Maryam Nawaz, the PPP chairman said the focus of Maryam Nawaz at the moment was the health of her father.

“This is a violation of human rights that she is not being allowed to meet her father,” he said, asking the government to allow Maryam to go to London to meet her father.

Mr Bhutto Zrdari said whenever he raised his voice against the government, he received a notice from National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the people now had begun to realise that NAB was ‘PTI’s tool for political victimisation’.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2020