Karachi: A peaceful protest demonstration of all categories of the staff of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Karachi was held Thursday against the proposed Jinnah Sindh Medical University Bill 2012, which is a violation of orders of Sindh High Court and constitution of country, Dr. Seemin Jamali, Joint Executive Director, JPMC, said in a release.

She stated that no aspect of patient care suffered during the protest.

“Provincial assembly cannot formulate a law on subjects in federal legislative list under Section 142 of constitution. The provincial assembly also does not have power to legislate on the Ministry of Defence land, which is where Sindh Medical College/University is located,” she stated in press release.

“The bill is an attempt to close the doors of higher medical teaching/training for the students of interior of Sindh, Balochistan and other less developed areas of Pakistan. It is an attempt to disrupt healthcare delivery to poor marginalized people of Karachi, particularly during sectarian, ethnic or other religious disturbances in the strife-stricken city of Karachi,” JPMC official said.

She further stated that the staff members of JPMC are employees of federal government on deputation to the government of Sindh. They cannot be absorbed into Sindh Medical University or the so-called Jinnah Sindh Medical University forcibly or even given the option to join Sindh Medical University. The basic rights of government servants like seniority and promotion will be ignored if JPMC is amalgamated with Sindh Medical University.

Dr. Seemin Jamali said JPMC is already approved for up-gradation as Jinnah University of Health Sciences by the Higher Education Commission and we demand that the same is implemented by the federal government.