Key Takeaways
- The Lahore High Court has suspended a PMDC notification allowing medical college fee hikes.
- Central Park Medical College filed a petition against the fee increase notification.
- The court ruled that the PMDC lacks legal authority to issue such notifications.
The Lahore High Court has suspended a notification issued by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) regarding an increase in fees for medical colleges, according to a statement from ProPakistani.
Justice Khalid Ishaq heard the petition filed by Central Park Medical College against the PMDC notification, which allowed a five per cent increase in annual fees.
Advocate Ramzan Dhudhi appeared on behalf of the petitioner institution, arguing that the PMDC had no legal authority to issue such notifications.
The court was informed that the college had collected Rs 2.1 million from students at the time of admission, while the PMDC later issued a notification allowing the fee increase.
The petitioner argued that any amendment to the relevant law, including fee-related changes, could only be made by Parliament.
During the hearing, the court was also told that the PMDC had issued another notification regarding the collection of the Consumer Price Index from students.
After hearing the arguments, the Lahore High Court suspended the PMDC notification, effectively halting the fee increase.
The decision highlights the legal challenges faced by institutions seeking to implement fee hikes without proper legislative backing.
