ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) expressed serious concern on non-compliance of the recommendation regarding issuance of notification for doubling of seats for students from erstwhile FATA in medical and dental colleges.

The committee met with Sajid Khan in the chair here on Thursday to get briefing by the secretary SAFRON, president Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC), chairman, Higher Education Commission, Islamabad, secretary, Home and Tribal Affairs, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Vice Chancellor, Khyber Medical University, about implementation status of the recommendation passed by the committee in its meeting held on 07 January, 2021, regarding the issue of doubling seats for the students from erstwhile FATA in medical and dental colleges for the remaining period of eight years in compliance of the Cabinet decision.

After confirmation of the minutes of the previous meeting, the committee proceeded to agenda and the secretary Ministry of SAFRON briefed the committee regarding implementation status of the previous recommendations of the committee.

While considering agenda, the committee expressed its concern on non-compliance of the recommendation passed by the committee in its meeting held on 07th January 2021 regarding issuance of notification for doubling of seats for students from erstwhile FATA in medical and dental colleges for the remaining period of eight years once for all in compliance of the Cabinet decision on 2nd March 2017.

The representative of Khyber Medical University (KMU) informed the committee that "we have no powers to enhance the seats however we can send recommendations to the HEC".

The representative of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) apprised the committee that 36 additional seats for erstwhile FATA (KP) already have been increased and the issue is resolved.

He further informed that the HEC is only a regulator and we take up the recommendations of provinces.

The committee recommended that the HEC must issue notification for doubling of seats for eight years, so that the issue pending from three years may be resolved once and for all.

While considering agenda item number 4, the committee expressed its displeasure on not attending of the meeting by the chairman, WAPDA, and directed that the chairman WAPDA must attend the next Standing Committee meeting in person and to brief the committee on the agenda, otherwise, the committee will move a privilege motion against him.

The meeting was attended by Saleh Muhammad, Shahid Ahmad, Gul Dad Khan, Gul Zafar Khan, Abdul Shakoor Shad, Shaheen Naz Saifullah, Muhammad Afzal Khokhar, Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, Aysha Rajab Ali, Sajid Hussain Turi, and Muhammad Jamalud Din, MNAs and officers/officials of the ministry and its attached departments.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021