ISLAMABAD - None of the dissolved Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) employees accepted the voluntary golden handshake scheme extended to them by Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC), The Nation learnt on Tuesday.
More than 200 employees were served the voluntary golden handshake scheme, dubbed as voluntary severance scheme, notices in phases by the PMC starting in the month of July.
The commission had brought two golden handshake schemes for the dissolved PMDC employees, the voluntary and the compulsory one. While the compulsory golden handshake scheme still awaits approval from the federal government, the dissolved PMDC employees fear that they will be forcibly phased out from the department through it.
A number of employees served voluntary severance scheme notices said that the PMC took discriminatory steps against the PMDC employees and started a process to phase them out.
Employees said that they worked for decades in the department and are being asked to quit without their will adding that the golden handshake schemes are another way of termination.
“Our regular service structures have been converted into contracts and later the golden handshake schemes were introduced for only dissolved PMDC employees. It is all because the management wants us to leave the organisation in any way,” said a senior employee.
Employees said that interestingly, after ending PMDC employees’ services, the PMC will hire new staff to fill the vacant positions.
Responding to The Nation, PMC Communication Officer Amna Zafar replied that all employees of the now-dissolved PMDC were offered the voluntary severance scheme. However, no personnel eligible for the scheme accepted it.
She further said, “The golden handshake scheme is subject to government approval and pending consideration and approval. Offer to employees can only be made upon approval of the state.”
The letter served to the officials made OSD had said, “Pursuant to the powers vested in the medical and dental council under section B(2) (a) of the Pakistan Medical Commission Act, 2020, the council has duly approved a voluntary severance package to be offered to eligible employees of the Pakistan Medical Commission. It said that in view of your eligibility to avail the package, you are hereby offered the same. You are required to accept the offer within a period of 10 days from the date of this letter failing which it shall be considered and deemed a refusal on your part to accept the offer.”
It added that in the event of refusal, you shall not be entitled to benefit from the scheme. The notice said that pursuant to the voluntary severance package, the gross amount payable to you, subject to final accounts and any deduction of tax, at the time of voluntary severance is given.
It said that on acceptance of voluntary service package, legal/disciplinary proceedings, if any pending against you shall be abated. If you elect to accept the voluntary severance package, please visit the office of the member administration and execute the voluntary severance package acceptance form