ISLAMABAD: The employees of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) on Monday appreciated the efforts of senators belonging to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) for passing a bill to repeal the Medical Teaching Institution (MTI) Bill.

“Leaders of the PPP, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) while in the opposition visited Pims and participated in our protest which continued for 72 days. Although usually leaders of political parties forget their promises after coming into power, the PPP and PDM, which are now in coalition government, ensured that the bill would be passed,” Chairman Young Consultants Association Dr Asfandyar Khan said while talking to Dawn.

In November 2020, President Dr Arif Alvi had promulgated the MTI ordinance under which the hospital would be run through a board of governors (BoG).

Later, the BoG members were appointed and notified by the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) on the recommendation of a search and nomination council.

Though employees protested against the ordinance it sailed through the parliament.

However, the current government had announced to repeal the MTI act and a bill in this regard was initially passed by the National Assembly and then by the Senate on Monday.

Dr Khan said PPP legislator Saleem Mandviwalla had move the bill to repeal the MTI Act 2021 but mistakenly the draft of the 2013 bill was tabled and passed by the National Assembly.

“We contacted the government and informed it that in 2018 an amendment to the 2013 act was made due to which we lost the status of civil servants. So later an amended bill was moved in the Senate,” he said.

He said as the amended bill has been passed by Senate it will be again referred to the National Assembly.

“We expect that the government will send the bill to the National Assembly at the earliest so that the MTI is repealed,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2022