ISLAMABAD-Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) on Friday withdrew its recruitment request on the vacant posts in Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) through Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC).
The decision has been taken after promulgation of Medical Teaching Institute (MTI) ordinance and administratively shifting the PIMS hospital under the Board of Governors (BOG).
According to the letter available with The Nation, the ministry has formally asked FPSC to consider its request made for recruitment on the vacant posts in PIMS as ‘withdrawn.’ After the promulgation of MTI ordinance, the BOG has become the competent authority for recruitment in the hospital.
The letter written to the FPSC by the official of the ministry mentioning the subject of ‘Recruitment of the various posts for PIMS, Islamabad through FPSC’ said that the request made for recruitment may be taken as withdrawn.
“I am directed to state that requisitions of various posts of PIMS were sent to FPSC after getting NOC from Establishment Division for advertisement and recruitment process vide letters F.No.47/1/2011-SP(Pt), dated 3rd July 2018,” the letter said.
It also said that meanwhile, an ordinance called Federal Medical Teaching Institutes Ordinance 2020 was promulgated on 16th November 2020.
The letter further said that PIMS has been included in the schedule of the said ordinance. As per Federal MTI Ordinance 2020, Board of Governors (BOG) is the competent authority with regard to recruitment process. “It is therefore, requested that all posts of PIMS advertised/under process of advertisement/under process of recruitment through FPSC may be treated as withdrawn,” the letter added.
Meanwhile, PIMS employees on protest under the banner of Grand Health Alliance (GHA) condemned the elimination of FPSC in the recruitment process. GHA Spokesperson Dr. Hyder Abbasi said that merit in the recruitment process will be discriminated with the elimination of FPSC.
A statement issued by GHA said that PIMS employees are on protest for last four weeks but government is acting stubborn by not withdrawing MTI Ordinance. Meanwhile, an application to register FIR has been given by a section officer yesterday against protestors.
Moreover, a letter has been sent to FPSC to stop them from any further recruitment in PIMS as it will be done by BOG.
Earlier, the GHA gathered a large number of its employees and invited political figures from opposition parties to expedite its protest against MTI system.
QWP Chief Aftab Sherpao, ANP leaders, JUI and PML-N Islamabad leadership and organisations of federal employees visited PIMS protest and attended a seminar on the MTI system. Sherpao joining the PIMS employees’ protest said that he will oppose making PIMS a corporate body both inside and outside Parliament.
Chairman GHA Dr. Asfandyar Khan in a press briefing held had said that political workers have been made BoG members under the MTI and the chairman of the BoG has no link with the medical profession.
Chairman GHA said that the PM is being misguided by certain elements and facts are being hidden by him. “PM may be unaware of the fact that a contractual system is being imposed in PIMS,” he said.