Islamabad: After months of uncertainty and three failed rounds of recruitment, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has finally appointed a permanent registrar, a key administrative post responsible for overseeing the regulation of medical education and licensing in the country.
Brigadier (retd) Dr Rehan Naqvi has been selected for a four-year term following a competitive round of interviews conducted by a high-powered selection committee.
The committee, headed by Federal Health Secretary Hamid Yaqoob Sheikh and PMDC President Dr Rizwan Taj, interviewed 27 candidates, including three in-house deputy registrars — Dr Imdad Khushk, Dr Azhar Ali Shah and Dr Habib — as well as Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Director Dr Mutahir Shah.
Despite expectations that one of the serving deputy registrars might be elevated to the position, the committee chose Dr Rehan Naqvi, a retired army officer with administrative and medical service background.
Federal health ministry and PMDC officials confirmed the appointment and said that after repeated advertisements and a prolonged selection process, the institution has been able to finalise the registrar’s post and issue an official offer letter.
They termed it an important step towards administrative stability within the council, which has been operating with interim arrangements for months.
The post of registrar holds critical importance as it oversees registration of doctors and dentists, accreditation of medical and dental colleges, and implementation of regulatory standards across the country. The absence of a permanent registrar had raised concerns among medical professionals, who feared delays in licensing, renewals and college inspections at a time when Pakistan’s healthcare workforce is already under pressure due to migration, uneven training standards and growing public scrutiny of medical institutions.
PMDC has faced criticism in recent years over inconsistency in examinations, disputes with medical colleges and accusations of bureaucratic delays affecting young doctors.
With the appointment of Brig (retd) Dr Rehan Naqvi, officials hope the council can now move towards more structured regulation and address longstanding grievances of medical graduates and institutions seeking accreditation.
Health sector stakeholders say the challenge for the new registrar will be to streamline registration processes, ensure transparency in college inspections and rebuild trust with the medical community. For thousands of young doctors awaiting full registration and career progression, the performance of the new registrar will directly impact their entry into the healthcare system.
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