The Federal
Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, approved in principle,
the proposed draft bill for the segregation of Pakistan Institute of Medical
Sciences (PIMS) and Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU).
The proposed
draft bill was approved unanimously as no minister objected on contents of the
proposed bill. Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development
Division (CADD), Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, briefed the Cabinet on the proposed
bill, and explained with convincing details, the administrative requirements
for the segregation of the University and the hospital.
The proposed
bill was approved by the Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases
last week. Minister for CADD, in his briefing to the Cabinet, said that since
2013, when the SZABMU was created and the administrative control of PIMS was
given to the University, there were reservations and perpetual unrest among the
employees of the hospital. This uneasiness was hindering the proper disposal of
medical services to the general public, he added.
The Minister
said that the principle decision to separate the two organisation was taken by
former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in November last year on the
recommendation of CADD. After the approval of the then Prime Minister, the
process of preparing the draft bill was initiated in consultation with other
stakeholders, including Ministry of Law, Ministry of Health, Ministry of
Finance, FPSC and Establishment Division.
The proposed
bill after approval from the Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative
Cases last week was finally approved by the Cabinet.
Dr. Tariq
Fazl Chaudhary said that the name of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical
University is not being changed and the University will continue to work
according to its teaching mandate. He said that the separation of the two
organizations will help in managing the affairs of both organizations in a
better way.
The Minister
said that the demand for separation of the two institutions from the employees
was intense during the past few weeks. He said that this decision is consistent
with the expectations of employees and administrative principles for managing
medical universities and allied teaching hospitals and is prevalent throughout
the country.
The Minister
of State specially thanked the present and the former prime minister on the
approval of the proposed bill and resolving this issue on priority basis. He
hoped that both the institutions would work with enhanced efficiency and their
services to the public will greatly improve.
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