ISLAMABAD - Although much late yet rightly, Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has come under the radar of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) as the bureau has sought complete record from the council on a number of matters marked with allegations of corruption.
NAB spokesman Zafar Iqbal Khan Wednesday said that the bureau had asked PMDC to brief it on a number of issues including parameters as well as standing operating procedures (SOPs) adopted by the council for the registration of medical colleges in private sector. The bureau has sought the details from PMDC by March 14 and has asked the council’s administration to brief NAB authorities on theses issues on March 20, he added.
NAB has also sought record about the medical colleges with their exact number and complete details that were got affiliated or registered in the private sector by PMDC during last 5 years. NAB spokesman said that the bureau under its ‘Prevention Regime Initiatives’ had taken notice of the reports of massive corruption, misuse of authority, violation of rules and procedures and accumulation of assets beyond known-source of income, which had been allegedly committed by the officers, and officials of PMDC. NAB has also questioned PMDC about the status of the degree of MBBS or equivalent obtained by the students from foreign countries including central Asian States, Russia, China, Thailand, Bangkok, Singapore and others.
NAB has asked PMDC to brief it about the procedure adopted by it for the registration doctors having degrees from foreign countries. It has sought complete list of doctors registered with the council during last 5 years having degree from the foreign countries. PMDC would provide the details of its registrars and the members of the council during last 10 as well as the information regarding status of the court cases pending before the Supreme Court Pakistan and cases registered with different police stations against employees of the council. The bureau has also asked a brief on role of PMDC as regulator or watchdog with comments of the registrar.
Recently, the administration of PMDC had formally lodged an FIR against its Registrar Dr Ahmad Nadeem Akber in the case of registering fake doctors after an inquiry committee held him guilty on charges of misconduct, tempering of record, gross negligence and inefficiency. However Dr Akber has been saying time and again that he was innocent and only being victimized just only to remove from the post.