Daily Times

Non-obedience of orders of top brass resulted fiasco for Registrar Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC) Fozia Mushtaq as she has been removed from the post immediately when she allegedly remained fail in providing some sort of record to the higher authorities.

According to a notification available with Daily Times, Musthaq was suspended when she didn’t provide some sort of record to Council’s President Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro. “Consequent upon failing to provide the office record required for inquiries and details for litigation matters, no reply of explanation for issuing recognition letters without approval of the Council within given time frame, absent from duty without prior permission or sanction of leave on 17th and 18th November 2022, the services of Fozia Mushtaq Registrar/Secretary PNC Islamabad, are hereby put under suspension till further order in impending sessions of the Council,” reads suspension letter signed by Dr Soomro.

Although she was suspended as Registrar but has been asked to “remain present at PNC secretariat” and draw her pay with regular allowances under rules.

The appointment of a new registrar was not made as replacement. An official said while wishing anonymity that it will be decided in the Council meeting, adding that it is expected that the upcoming Registrar will be taken from some nursing college of Balochistan.

As per available information, the post of PNC’s President was hardly filled last month after a delay of almost six months. Since then, according to the sources, the functioning of the nursing regulatory body was under trouble, internal differences within PNC authorities, they added, are reasons behind such disturbance.

A couple of days back, Vice President Faridullah Shah called the Council Board, apex decision making body, meeting which was immediately nullified by the President as she termed the meeting “illegal”. According to President Dr Soomro, any such meeting could not be held without prior approval of the authority concerned that is provided only to the President.

Faridullah Shah is also Deputy Director Nursing KP. A few weeks back, President Dr Soomro wrote a letter to Chief Secretary KP and alleged that he (Shah) is creating “hurdles in official work”. Not only this, the President alleged that Shah also “verbally harassed her and other staffers of the council.”

“It has been constantly observed that DD nursing KP is creating hindrances in official work as President to implement the decisions and directions necessary for smooth functioning of the PNC secretariat,” reads the letter.

It added that on seeking some required official record that was supposed to present in the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and ministry of health, Shah not only refused to provide the desired document but also threatened me (Dr Soomro).

Earlier, the President Dr Soomro also called an explanation of Fozia Mushtaq in which it was alleged that she issued recognition letters to many nursing colleges without prior-approval of the authority concerned (Executive Committee). However, when Daily Times asked Mushtaq about these malpractices, she categorically denied, saying that “everything done in accordance with prescribed legal provisions.” She claimed that she never meant to give any kind of undue favor to any nursing college or individual.

Some sources privy to the PNC matters, however, suggested that such rifts will further damage the reputation of the Council. “The authorities should take the decision to restore standards that are already on the verge of collapse instead of creating the atmosphere which will make it leaner,” they added.

On the other hand at the time of resuming charge, Dr Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro had claimed that it would have been on priority to restore the distorted image of mismanagement and mala-fide practices at the PNC.

An official privy to the matter suggested that instead of keep fingering each other, the authorities should focus on many unresolved issues at the PNC. “Instead of indulging themselves in such petty matters, they should work for the betterment of the organization as claimed,” he added.

According to the available information around 2500 cases are currently pending for registration while over 5000 applications are in pipeline that are being done in day-to-day routine at PNC. To stop functioning of ghost nursing institutes in the country is another major issue that needs to be addressed on an immediate basis, the sources recalled.

Despite repeated attempts by this scribe, Dr Soomro was not available for comments.