SC accepts apology of Punjab governor's son in medical college's fees case

LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar resumed on Thursday hearing of the suo motu case against the exorbitant fees of private medical colleges across the country.

A two-member bench headed by the chief justice and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan is hearing the case in the apex court’s Lahore registry.

As the proceedings commenced, the chief justice remarked that the court should be informed how much fee is being charged from students, and observed that the court is trying that money should not be an obstacle in attaining an education.

Appearing before the court after being summoned, Punjab governor's son Ahsan Rajwana offered an unconditional apology to the court over his interference in the case. The apology was accepted by the bench. 

Justice Ahsan inquired from Rajwana if he was trying to influence the case by contacting a female counsel involved in the case. Rajwana claimed that he has familial relations with the counsel, Anjum Hameed.

During the hearing, the court inquired why the owners of Sharif Medical College did not appear before the bench, to which the college's principal replied that he did not receive the court’s notice and thus couldn’t appear earlier.

The bench asked who the trustee of the college is, to which the principal replied that former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-N president Nawaz Sharif is the trustee of the college. The chief justice remarked that Nawaz should then be summoned to the court. 

Hearing the separate matter of a private hospital established in a residential area, the court questioned the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general about the matter. 

The LDA chief submitted documents to the court and stated that whenever LDA takes action against commercial establishments in residential areas, the courts issue stay orders. 

The chief justice then observed that no court will stay anti-encroachment operations. 

At the last hearing, the court had summoned Faisalabad Medical College Vice Chancellor Dr Fareed Zaffar, head of the Hamid Latif Hospital, the LDA director general and Rajwana.

The chief justice has also directed all private medical colleges to submit, in seven days, a report on the structure, labs, bank accounts and facilities provided to students.

Also directed to submit an affidavit in this regard in seven days. During the hearing, Justice Nisar observed that from now on the Supreme Court will set the criteria for collection of fees from students.