Islamabad: (Parliament Times) Owing to lack of incumbent government of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) interest and ineffective planning, the future of Muzaffarabad, Ponch, Mirpur medical colleges’ students has been put on stake.
Due to ineffective planning and lack of interest of AJK government, principals in the medical colleges could not be appointed, which has led to administrative crisis, revealed a report issued by non-government organization LSDF.
It said last date for admission in medical colleges was fixed as December 10 and a committee was also constituted for admissions but joint Chairman and principal Ponch medical college, Prof. Dr. Zia-ur-Rehman has quit the job last week.
Secretariat Health Department has issued notification to extended services of Dr. Zia-ur-Rehman’s services till appointment of new principal but the ex-Principal was not agreed to fulfill his responsibilities for a short span of time.
In Muzaffarabad and Rawala Kot medical colleges, professors were holding the charge of acting priniciapl.
The report said that Prof. Jamshed Ali of Muzaffarabad medical college continued drawing salary upto Rs 4,25,000 per month and fringe benefits worth Rs 2,50,000 while PMDC denied to recognize his degrees. After this, Prof. Jamshed Ali preferred to quit the slot.
Ex-Principal Ponch medical college, Dr. Zia-ur-Rehman’ term of contract completed lat week and Principal Mirpur Medical College, Dr. Aftab Turabi served only for month. The administrative structure of the medical colleges has been ruined due to negligence of the authorities concerned.
Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Medical College (Mirpur medical college) was established in 2012 and almost five hundred students were studying there. Dr. Mian Abdul Rashid was appointed as the principal who remained at the seat for four years after this Prof. Aftab Turabi was made principal who failed to fulfill responsibilities over a month. Now Prof. Shaukat is working a acting principal.
Azad Jammu & Kashmir medical college (Muzaffarabad medical college) was set up in 2012 and nearly five hundred students were getting medical education in the said institution. Prof. Jamshed Ali was appointed as principal who continued drawing salary Rs 4,25,000 per month and perks and fringe benefits worth Rs 2,50,000 per month.
He belonged to Peshawar so a case was filed against his appointment in the court. On the court orders, degrees of Prof. Jamshed were sent for verification to PMDC as a result he quit the slot. Now additional charge of the principal was given to Prof. Serosh but he does not meet eligibility criteria determined by the PMDC. It was further revealed that after holding seat of acting principal, Prof. Serosh appointed his spouse as assistant professor against a package of Rs 3,25,000 per month.
Ponch medical college known as Sardar Ibrahim Khan medical college was established in 2013 and Dr. Zia-ur-Rehman was founding principal who remained for four years on contract basis. His contract was extended for one year. His contract came to an end last week. He was also made Chairman admission committee. Health department has issued notification for extending his contract for short period.
Experts said that local bureaucracy was main hurdle in appointing regular in the said medical colleges. They said principals coming from other provinces do not take much interest in Azad Kashmir’s educational institutions. They said usually those principals are appointed in Azad Kashmir, who are not accepted in Punjab, Sindh, KP or Islamabad.
Secretary Health said that interviews to appoint new principals in Mirpur medical colleges would be completed during the next few days while case of principal Muzaffarabad medical college is under the hearing in the court while Principal Ponch medical college’s services have been extended for some period so that examination process could be completed.
Sources claimed that Chairman joint examination and former principal Ponch medical college has taken charge of medical college in Khyber pakhtoonkha and was reluctant to resume the charge for short period.
