Attorney general put on notice over plea against removal of PMDC employees

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The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday issued notices to the attorney general of Pakistan, Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) and others on a petition against removal of the dissolved Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) employees from service.Mohammad Anwar Alam and other employees of the defunct PMDC have challenged the Section 49 of the Pakistan Medical Commission Ordinance 2019 whereby all employees and officers of the dissolved PMDC, whether they are permanent, regular, temporary or contractual, shall cease to be employees of the council upon promulgation of the ordinance.The petitioners’ counsel submitted that no letters of termination nor any show cause notice was issued to the employees but they were terminated without payment of the salaries. He submitted that the impugned section of the ordinance was illegal and liable to be struck down. He also sought a restraining order directing the respondents not to appoint any further person on the petitioners’ posts till disposal of the case.The PMC’s counsel submitted that the Section 51 of the ordinance provides that the federal government shall appoint officers on deputation during the transitory period as may be requested by the council to assist in the operations of the commission until members, officers and necessary employees of the commission are appointed.A division bench of the SHC headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar issued notices to the attorney general of Pakistan as vires of the ordinance were challenged in the petition, as well as other respondents and called their comments on November 15.First aid at airportThe SHC has appointed Nazir of the court as the commissioner to inspect the Jinnah International Airport and submit a report with regard to first aid and medical facilities there.The direction came on a petition seeking medical facilities and first aid at all airports of the country. Petitioner Syed Mohammad Zafar submitted that his brother Tariq Zafar died at the Karachi airport in January this year due to unavailability of first aid and basic medical facilities at the airport.The petitioner’s counsel Mehmood Mandiwalla submitted that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had not taken proper measures to ensure medical treatment and first aid to persons in case of an emergency.He sought a direction for the CAA to make available at all the airports fully equipped first aid centres including cardiac resuscitation stations and automated external defibrillators. He also sought action against CAA officials for their failure to provide medical facilities to the passengers.The counsel of the CAA filed a report that said various facilities were available at the Jinnah International Airport in accordance with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization.The petitioner and the CAA’s counsel jointly suggested that Nazir of the court may be appointed as the commissioner to inspect the airport and submit a report as to whether such first aid and emergency facilities were available there in the larger public interest or not.The SHC appointed Nazir of the court to inspect the airport and tasked the officer with submitting a report with regard to medical and first aid facilities there. The high court directed the CAA to assist the Nazir during the inspection.

from The News International - Karachi https://ift.tt/36ADe9q
The News International - Karachi