ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Health Services on Monday approved Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (Amendment) Bill after getting assurance from State Minister Saira Afzal Tarar that four suggestions of the senators would be included in the legislation in future. The committee will now lay its report on the bill before the Senate on April 19, which is a deadline given by Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani. The minister of Health Services wanted the bill to be tabled before the Senate by April 22. The Senate can adopt the bill as early as by April 20 by suspending its normal proceedings. Minister Saira Afzal Tarar is keen to get passed the PMDC bill before April 25 to avoid lapsing of existing law passed in 2015 for the regulatory body. National Assembly had already passed the bill in March 2016. After detailed discussion on the bill, the minister agreed that she would give an assurance to the senators on the floor of the Senate about amendments to be incorporated later in the law. The suggestions were put forth by special invitee to the committee, which included PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar endorsed, by senators from PPP, PMLN, MQM and National Party.