NA extends ‘Federal Medical Teaching Institute Ordinance’

ISLAMABAD (APP): The National Assembly on Monday adopted a resolution to extend the Federal Medical Teaching Institute Ordinance, 2020 for a further period of one hundred and twenty days.

Tabled by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan, the House adopted a resolution to extend the Federal Medical Teaching Institute Ordinance for a further period of 120 days with effect from March 13, 2021.

Speaking on point of order about this Ordinance, Senior Leader of PPP Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said that the opposition wanted to move a resolution to disapprove the ordinance.

He claimed that the government was going to privatize the teaching institutions of the country which would be acceptable, adding that the government must allow the opposition for discussion on the legislation about the masses.

Raja Pervaiz said that health and education were the basic responsibilities of the government which must be given to the masses of the country free of cost. However, the Speake Asad Qaisar said that every legislation or parliamentary intervention would be considered as per rules and the resolution for disapproving the Ordinance might be moved on Private Member’s Day.

Parliamentary Secretary National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Dr Nausheen said the government was not going to privatize the Pakistan Institution of Medical Sciences (PIMS). She said the government was going to make the PIMS as an autonomous institution to make it more capable for the facilitation of the masses. Regarding the strike of the staffers of the PIMS, Dr Nausheen said that all six demands of the strikers had been accepted and the strike was called off.

She said the Federal Medical Teaching Institute Ordinance 2020 was in the Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination and the opposition must put their positive suggestions in that regard.

Earlier, two Ordinances including the Income Tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 and the PAF Air War College Institute Ordinance, 2021 were laid in the House.

Minister for Finance and Revenue Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh laid the Mid-Year Budget Review Report FY 2020-21. A member of the Standing Committee on Human Rights presented the reports of the Committee on the Islamabad Capital Territory Senior Citizens Bill, 2020 and the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill, 2019.

On behalf of the Chairman Standing Committee on Interior, a member of the Committee presented reports on the Pakistan Arms (Amendment) Bill, 2020 and the Corona virus pandemic [Covid-19 (Prevention of Hoarding) Bill, 2020. A PML-N lawmaker Rana Tanveer pointed out the quorum but it was found complete upon counting. The speaker adjourned the House to meet again on March 2, 2021 at 11 am.