F.P. Report
LAHORE: The Supreme Court on Saturday ordered a probe into the recognition process of private medical colleges during the tenure of Dr Asim Hussain besides a return of excessive fee to students within one month.
A two-member bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar at the Supreme Court Lahore Registry ordered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to investigate the recognition given to private medical colleges during the tenure of former president of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), Dr Asim Hussain, and submit a report within one month.
The probe was ordered when Dr Asim requested the bench to exempt the University of Health Sciences (UHS) and the PMDC from refunding the excess fee.
Regarding the private colleges’ fee plan, the bench directed that fee above than Rs 850,000 should be refunded to the students and the colleges which fail to follow the suit should be investigated.
The Supreme Court also ordered the colleges to accommodate some students, who deserved admission on merit but could not get admission to any public or private sector colleges.
As the proceedings began, a representative of Pak Red Crescent Medical College submitted that all fee, re-ceived in excess of Rs 850-,000, had been refunded to students in compliance with the court orders.
He also req-uested the court to order de-sealing of the college record.
At this, the chief justice observed that he would also order all private medical colleges, except for Aga Khan Medical College, to refund the additional fee.
He directed the FIA to de-seal the college record, besides restraining the agency from raiding any private medical college without permission from the SC Registrar.
To a court query, an FIA representative briefed the court that it had prepared a copy of Pak Red Crescent College record in compliance with the court orders, and the same was being investigated.
UHS Acting Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Faisal Masood submitted a report for accommodation of students who fulfilled the merit but could not get admission in any public or private medical colleges.
Those students could be accommodated in private medical colleges of Punjab by increasing five seats in each college, he suggested. At this, the bench ordered the colleges to accommodate the students within one week’s time.
It may be mentioned that the chief justice had ordered for sealing the Pak Red Cre-scent College record and re-funding the fee after a visit to the college two weeks ago.
