ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC), Tuesday, issued notices to the Ministry of National Health Services and the Pakistan Medical Council (PMC) regarding result of recently held Medical and Dental Colleges’ Admission Tests (MDCAT).

A single bench of Justice Babar Sattar heard the petition of Waqas Malik advocate, which he had filed, in accordance with the will of the late scientist, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan.

The bench directed the respondents to submit their response within three weeks.

The IHC bench also sought response from the Interior Ministry and directed it to submit the record of cases registered against medical students, and asked the authorities to inform about the process of conducting the National Licensing Examination (NLE).

During the hearing, Waqas argued that a centralised order cannot be issued after the 18th Amendment and prayed before 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 and introducing a new system for conducting exams without giving students appropriate time is not right.

In the petition, the petitioner, Dr Khan said that he felt dejected by the materialistic approach of the functionaries and ill-treatment with the future of Pakistan, hence this petition.

He added that the government half-heartedly dissolved the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council and set up the PMC, which as usual resulted in a mess.

He further said that the poor students had been forced to appear in a useless test (MDCAT) and required to pay each time more than Rs6000.

The petition stated that earlier in 2018, the public universities and colleges used to select students on the basis of marks obtained.

The universities and colleges were allowed the number of seats/students up to that aggregate marks and merit list was prepared and published.

It said that the private educational institutions were also following the same rules.

Therefore, he prayed before the court that students should be promoted on merit instead of adopting a commercial approach. He also prayed before the court to declare examination regulations 2021 of the PMC as null and void.—TERENCE J SIGAMONY