Islamabad: In an effort to end the growing conflict between the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) and private medical colleges, the Prime Minister has constituted a high-powered committee headed by Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar to review the issues raised by the Pakistan Association of Private Medical and Dental Institutions (PAMI).
The committee has been formed after weeks of tension between the regulator and private colleges over fee ceilings, regulatory authority and recent show cause notices issued by the PMDC to institutions that charged beyond the approved limits.
PMDC has fixed the annual fee of private medical colleges between 1.89 million and 2.5 million under its revised policy and directed institutions to justify any increase.
Several colleges that raised fees in violation of the order were served notices, prompting PAMI to challenge the decision in court and accuse the regulator of over regulation.
The new committee includes Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, Minister for National Health Services Syed Mustafa Kamal, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, Chairman PLKI Dr Saeed Akhtar, Maj Gen retired Azhar Kayani, the Secretary of the health ministry, the President of the PMDC and representatives of PAMI. The health ministry will provide secretarial support, and the committee is required to submit its report within ten days.
Officials familiar with the development said the Prime Minister has stepped in after both sides hardened their positions, creating uncertainty for colleges and students ahead of the new admission cycle.
PAMI has been pushing back against what it calls unnecessary interference in admissions, accreditation standards and fee regulations, while the PMDC maintains it is acting strictly under the law to safeguard students from unjustified financial burdens.
The committee has been tasked with examining PAMI’s concerns, reviewing accreditation and admission policies, and assessing whether the current regulatory framework needs changes. It will also review the justification for fee increases and the enforcement actions initiated by the PMDC.
How the committee balances the commercial interests of private colleges with the rights of students and the overall quality of medical education will become clear once it submits its recommendations.
Senior health officials said the Prime Minister wants a negotiated settlement that protects merit, transparency and affordability, while ensuring that private colleges continue to function without arbitrary restrictions.
Whether this initiative results in a sustainable framework or simply calms tensions for the time being remains to be seen, but stakeholders expect the committee’s report to shape the direction of medical education policy in the coming months.
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