Humayun Khan
PESHAWAR: A divisional bench of Peshawar High Court (PHC) comprising of Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice SM Attique Shah ordered private teaching hospitals for provision of stipend to House Officers as per government standards while dispose of all writ pleas in this regard.
The writ pleas filed by Abdul Haseeb and others while their counsel including Tariq Afghan and Hafiz-ul-Asad advocates along with other lawyers argued the petitions before PHC’s divisional bench.
The petitioners were adjusted in different private medical colleges in Peshawar on court’s orders after closure Muhammad College of Medicines on 16th May 2022 by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council on allegations of receiving donations as well as provision of admissions on fraudulent grounds, the counsel argued.
Earlier, the private medical colleges demanded annual fees from the petitioners despite PHC directions that Federal Investigation Agency will ensure submission of dues from the account of Muhammad College of Medicines Peshawar, the counsel added. He further stated that the petitioners were deprived from House Jobs by respective teaching hospitals despite PHC’s orders for provision of house job on 9th August 2023.
The 11 pages judgment stated that issuance of provisional license and provision of house job at teaching hospital is right of every successful candidate after passing of examination and completion of the program. The rules are clear that concerned teaching hospital will provide stipend to House Officers as per government standards.
The teaching hospital will also provide certificate to House Officers after completion of house job, the verdict stated. However, the respondents’ colleges pleaded that the petitioners were admitted on court’s orders and can’t liable for provision of house jobs as well as stipends them because they were students of Muhammad College of Medicines Peshawar.
Although, PHC’s judgement stated that the petitioners had passed examinations from respondents’ colleges and the place liability on the concerned teaching hospitals for provision of house jobs as well as provision of stipends to successful graduates.
The verdict orders provision of stipends not less than government because House Officers providing full time services to concerned teaching hospitals because the Constitution bars every kind of exploitation. The denial of stipend will be considered as forced laboring while it is government responsibility to end every kind of exploitation.
Moreover, the petitioners writ pleas also supported by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council and Khyber Medical University Peshawar lawyers because Sections 20&21 of Teaching Hospitals Regulation 2023 placed liability on private medical colleges for provision of house job along with stipends to successful graduates, the verdict stated.
PHC’s divisional bench Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice SM Attique Shah accepted writ pleas as well as orders provision of stipends as their right from starting date of house job while dispose of all petitions in this regard.
