ISLAMABAD - The representatives of Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) have warned the government to take back show-cause notice meant to remove Prof. Dr. Syed Sibitul Hasnain, President, Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), and hold elections according to the previous rules or else they will launch a nationwide protest campaign.
Addressing a press conference at National Press Club on Wednesday, PMA President Dr. Azhar Khan Jadoon informed that the parliament had appointed a seven member cabinet in PMDC as an interim setup to hold elections to elect 80-member council of PMDC. And the President of that set up cannot be removed by the Ministry of National Regulations and Services.
He said the setup was constituted in August for one year by the parliament that did not hold elections for six months and now suddenly the body has announced election, which has raised many doubts. And the timing of the elections apparently shows that efforts are being made to appoint their favorites on key positions to manipulate the decisions of PMDC that regulates medical education in the country.
He said the on the one hand the PMDC has announced elections for the council members of PMDS and on the other side the ministry is planning to remove the President despite that elections can not be held in the absence of the President.
PMA General Secretary Dr. Izhar Ahmad Chaudhry informed that Dr. Asim Hussain, Federal Minister for Petroleum & Natural Resources who is a vice president of PMDC is also heading Nursing Council and body of private medical colleges. He also owns a private medical college and holds the position of vice chancellor of a private medical university.
They alleged that the show-cause notice was meant to remove Dr Sibtul Hasnain from his position because of differences with Dr. Asim and the main issue is financial capital involved in the business of private medical colleges.  They alleged that there has been mushroom growth of private medical colleges that have been recognised by the PMDC without following the set criteria and rules. 
They said the elections have been announced in haste despite that the election commission has no voter list. They also complained that the nomination fee has also been increased from Rs. 500-1000 to Rs. 1 lac that is too much. They demanded that the elections should be held according to the previous laws and 8 to 10 weeks time should be given for elections.
They said the representation of doctors in council from all the areas should be based on their strength whereas currently the council has same representation of doctors in the council from Punjab and FATA that is unjust. 
They also revealed that the council membership of Dr. Asim has also been challenged in the Supreme Court, as only medical university teacher can become council member of PMDC while Dr. Asim does not deliver any lecture in the college and only owns a private medical university named Ziauddin University.