Private Medical Colleges Ordered to Refund Donations

LAHORE: After the intervention of Supreme Court, the management of the Red Crescent Medical and Dental College has returned around Rs300 million it had received in the form of ‘donations’ from over 260 students.

The Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar along with other judges made a surprise visit to the college, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Lahore had launched a probe into the issue after registering an inquiry over the allegations of overcharging in the name of donations by the college management. According to sources, the college management had admitted before the FIA investigators that other than fee, amounting to Rs0.85 million, the college received a million or so rupees from every student at the time of their admissions in the name of ‘donations’. The management had assured the FIA that it will return the amount collected in the name of donations.

“The college management has returned around Rs300 million to over 260 students currently enrolled with the college,” an FIA official said, adding some students got back more than Rs 1.5 million. According to another source the amount collected by the college in the shape of fee and donations, etc, was transferred to Red Crescent Society.

The Society has returned the amount collected in the name of donations to the college and the same was returned back to students through cheques. The FIA has forwarded its report regarding the subject college to registrar of the Supreme Court.

The FIA’s report also highlighted that the college not only lacks in medical facilities as required by Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) but also lacks in faculty. In the report, the FIA has also pointed out that there is no specific merit criteria for admission to the medical college and it should not only be revisited and made more stringent.

The FIA had also recorded statements of Red Crescent Medical College Principal Abid Hussain, Secretary Red Crescent Society Ch Abdul Majid, Member BOT Muhammad Nawaz, Manager Finance Shahid Iqbal and Member Managing Committee Liaqat Ali Chishti.