SC accepts Punjab governor’s apology in medical colleges’ fees hike case

• CJP asks for account details of Sharif Medical College
• Saqib Nisar says lesser-privileged students should be able to get medical education

LAHORE: The Supreme Court on Thursday accepted Punjab governor’s son Asif Rajwana’s apology for his alleged involvement in getting a candidate admitted to a private medical college despite a stay order in a suo motu case against private medical colleges’ fee hike.

The Supreme Court’s two-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, has been hearing the proceedings of the case at its Lahore Registry.

Justice Saqib Nisar had earlier this week taken notice of the deteriorating standard of the medical profession and health facilities and enquired about the government’s efforts at improving the health sector.

He also expressed concern over the exorbitant fee structure of medical colleges and summoned the chief executives of all 14 private medical and dental colleges in Lahore to furnish details of their bank accounts and the amount of fee they charged for the present session from students, in addition to submitting affidavits about meeting PMDC criteria.

The colleges were directed to submit their prospectus, the number of seats available and how many of them had been filled on merit and quota basis and the charges collected from students besides fee fixed by the PMDC. The court also restrained all unrecognised private medical colleges from carrying out admission.

During Thursday’s proceedings, Punjab Governor Muhammad Rafiq Rajwana’s son, who had on Wednesday been accused of telephoning a female lawyer involved in the case, issued an unconditional apology in the court stating that he had familial relations with the prosecutor, Advocate Anjum Hameed.

Advocate Anjum told the court that Asif Rajwana had been telephoning and texting her to offer admission to a student among her acquaintances if she refrained from agitating the issue in court.

When he was asked why he had called Advocate Anjum, Asif Rajwana said that the Vice Chancellor of Faisalabad University, Dr Farid — who had been suspended by the SC a day earlier — had asked him to do so. The bench accepted the apology.

The court also accepted the unconditional apology of the Faisalabad University vice-chancellor, who on a previous hearing was suspended from his position and issued a contempt of court notice.

The CJP further questioned why the owner of Sharif Medical College was absent even after a judicial order had been issued to him. To this, the principle of the college stated that Nawaz Sharif is the main trustee of the college. “He has not received the notice which is why he did not appear before the court today,” the principal told the court.

In response, the CJP remarked that Nawaz Sharif should then be summoned to the court. The CJP also ordered that in the next hearing, all information regarding fee and cost be shared with SC, including all details of the bank accounts connected to the colleges.

‘MONEY SHOULDN’T BE HINDRANCE IN WAY OF EDUCATION’:

The bench also directed the Punjab chief secretary to brief the court on the fee structure of medical colleges and said that there must be a policy allowing students who could not afford to pay the fee to take admission in medical institutions.

“The court does not want money to be a hindrance in the way of an education,” remarked the CJP.

The chief secretary, however, assured the court that the Punjab government had enough funds to ensure that students who could not afford a medical education due to lack of financial resources, could be admitted to colleges on the basis of merit.

The CJP emphasised that the court would not “hesitate from contacting philanthropists if that is what it takes to allow lesser-privileged students to get a medical education”.

ILLEGAL HOSPITALS AND INSTITUTES:

Hearing the separate matter of a private hospital established in a residential area, the court questioned the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general about the matter.

The LDA chief submitted documents to the court and stated that whenever the LDA takes action against commercial establishments in residential areas, the court issue stay orders.

The chief justice then observed that no court will stay anti-encroachment operations.

The hearing was then adjourned till Saturday.

Earlier, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had stopped private medical colleges all over the country from inducting students into their programmes until the court orders to the contrary during the case proceedings.