ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) came under severe criticism on Tuesday as members of the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination questioned its authority and actions for escalating fee structure of private medical and dental colleges.

Despite growing concerns over exorbitant tuition fees, PMDC officials reiterated that under the existing legal framework, the regulatory body is not empowered to set a maximum fee limit for private institutions.

During a heated committee meeting, chaired by Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti, Senator Irfan Siddiqui bitterly criticised PMDC’s inaction, arguing the lack of fee regulation was burdening students and their families.

PMDC officials including its President and Registrar Dr. Shaista Faisal defended the council’s position, stating that a special committee, led by Prof. Khalid Masood Gondal, Vice Chancellor of Fatima Jinnah Medical University Lahore, has been constituted to review the justifications submitted by private colleges regarding their fees. The committee is expected to submit its report to the

Council in the coming days. State Minister for Health Dr. Malik Mukhtar Ahmed Bharath said “This matter must now reach a conclusion. We cannot afford to discuss the same issue in every meeting without a resolution.”

The senate committee was told that a joint committee comprising officials from the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSRC) and PMDC, led by Special Secretary Health Mirza Nasiruddin Mashhood Ahmed, had previously recommended capping the annual tuition fee at approximately Rs.1.2 million. However, the PMDC Council did not approve the recommendation, citing legal constraints. Senator Siddiqui and other committee members expressed frustration over this decision, questioning how colleges had already collected fees for 2024 despite PMDC’s lack of approval.

Senator Palwasha Khan accused private medical colleges of operating like a ‘mafia’ by exploiting students through unjustified fee hikes.

She also pointed out that her sub-committee had already recommended refunding excessive fees collected in 2024, yet no action had been taken to implement those recommendations.

Senator Siddiqui pressed the PMDC officials on whether they were satisfied with the justifications provided by private colleges for their fee hikes. PMDC President Prof. Rizwan Taj admitted that they were not fully convinced but reiterated that the council lacked legal authority to intervene.

The PMDC officials also revealed that the annual fee for private medical colleges in 2010 was around Rs500,000, but it has since skyrocketed to between Rs3 million and Rs3.5 million.

The members expressed their dismay over this unchecked escalation and demanded urgent reforms to make medical education more affordable and accessible. Adding further complexity to the issue, PMDC officials confirmed that some private medical colleges are collecting fees for the 2024-25 session despite a directive barring them from doing so. Palwasha Khan insisted that those colleges violating the directive must be held accountable.

Meanwhile, discussions also took place on broader regulatory issues in the healthcare sector. The committee deliberated on a proposed amendment to regulate diagnostic centers and curb significant price discrepancies in medical tests. Senator Mohsin Aziz, who introduced the Islamabad Healthcare Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2025, highlighted that laboratory charges can vary by 50pc to 100pc, often leaving patients at the mercy of profit-driven entities. The bill aims to standardize pricing and ensure fair medical costs.

Senator Kamran Murtaza’s proposed Pakistan Psychological Council Bill 2025 was also discussed. He argued that despite passage by the National Assembly Law and Justice Committee, the bill remains stuck in bureaucratic processes. The government, however, defended its stance, stating that it is merging multiple healthcare councils, including nursing and psychological services, to streamline regulatory functions.

The issue of medical seats for students from the former FATA region also came under discussion. Former Deputy Chairman of the Senate Mirza Muhammad Afridi raised concerns over the reduction of allocated seats from 333 to 194, affecting students who were promised placements under specific projects.

He urged the PMDC to reconsider and restore the original allocations. The PMDC representatives clarified that the matter is now before the Supreme Court, and any further action will depend on the court’s ruling.

The meeting concluded with strong calls for action on all fronts, particularly on regulating private medical college fees. The committee emphasized the need for the government and PMDC to take immediate steps to prevent further exploitation of students and ensure affordability in medical education.