Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: PMA files contempt petition against CM, minister

The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) on Tuesday filed contempt of court petition against the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, health minister and secretary for Health Department for non-compliance with the court orders. The PMA filed the contempt petition through its provincial president, Dr Hussain Ahmad Haroon against the chief minister, health minister and officials concerned for non-compliance with the court orders about the appointments of chief executives of all the four teaching hospitals of the province. The PMA made Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Justice Pervez Khattak, provincial Health Minister Shaukat Yousafzai, Health Department Secretary Dr Fakhre Alam and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Arbab Shehzad respondents in the petition. The petitioner had challenged the action of respondents being taken for removing the chief executives of the hospitals and appointing chief executives of their choice against the posts after vacating the seats against the order of the PHC. The petitioner argued that the action of the appointment of the chief executives was in violation of law as Section 9 of the NWFP Medical and Health Institutions and Regulation of Healthcare Services Amendment Act 2010 read with section 3 of NWFP Medical Institution Rules 2001 further read with the relevant laws on the subject the chief executive hold the post on permanent basis for 3 years extendable by further 3 years. It said the PHC on August 5, 2013 had directed that the respondents may proceed with the matter but shall not pass any final order. It said the PHC had restrained the respondents from appointing chief executives till its final order in the petition filed by the PMA against the removal of the present chief executives. It said the respondents overlooking the orders of this court have prepared a summary and nominated certain doctors to be appointed as chief executives and by taking the above mentioned act the respondents have committed contempt of court. It said the petitioner came to know that the respondents were appointing the doctors of their choice as chief executives and thus the respondents were individually, jointly and severely responsible for the initiation of summary and for committing contempt of court.The petitioner prayed that on acceptance of the application the contempt of court proceedings may be initiated against the respondents.

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