ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar on Thursday informed the parliamentary panel that several things in the 18th Constitutional Amendment are blurred, so the complete process for putting relevant health institutions under the health ministry is now impossible owing to the short remaining period of the current government’s tenure. The meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination was held under chairmanship of MNA Dr Hafeezur Rehman Khan. The minister said that the new government after the 2018 general elections should finalise this practice at its earliest so that prevailing confusion in the system in this regard could be rectified. In response, MNA Ramesh Kumar termed the situation very regretful, saying that it was the incompetence of the current government that it could not finish this basic task that had been lingered since 2012. “Although I am part of the ruling party, but I never hesitate to say the truth even in front of Nawaz Sharif,” Ramesh Kumar said adding that it has become our culture that each government alleges its predecessors for their own failures while others put their responsibilities on the coming governments. He also pointed out that many health departments were functioning without their heads that is an example of very poor governance. However, Saira Afzal Tarar rejected such allegations. Without mentioning the name of any particular institution, Saira further stated that intervention by some powerful institutions in administrative affairs of the government weakens not just the democratic system but the country as well. The minister informed the lawmakers that her ministry had banned the sale of loose cigarettes across the country which had yielded very positive results within a short span of time. A couple of week ago, the health ministry, through a notification, banned the sale of sale of loose cigarettes while shopkeepers or individuals involved in selling loose cigarettes will now be arrested under this law. The ministry official revealed that so far, it has registered 1,396 cases against those found involved in violation of the newly introduced law. However, MNA Amirullah Marwat said that just registering the case is not important but the conviction of the accused is more important. In response, health ministry official said that said cases have been forwarded to the department concerned for further action in this regard. While discussing another agenda, some lawmakers suggested that the National Council for Tibb (NCT) should be given a proper piece of land in the capital to build an office as currently it is being functioned in a rented building. NCT President Dr Zabta Khan Shinwari informed the committee that the council was established to promote and popularise the Unani, ayurvedic and homeopathic system of medicine to regulate educaiton and to provide the registration of practitioners of those systems of medicine. Dr Zabta Khan Shinwari said that it was their vision to serve humanity by providing quality healthcare at affordable costs ensuring a healthy society worldwide though research. In response to some objections raised by MNA Kumar, Dr Shinwari said the council has a total of 22 members, out of which four are registered members nominated by the federal government after consulting the provincial governments concerned. There are 11 qualified members selected from amongst themselves by registered practitioners of Unani, two selected members by the teachers, one member is nominated by ayurvedic system of medicine while four members have been nominated by the federal government out of whom one is a scientist. Dr Shinwari further revealed that there are a total of 36 recognised Tibbia colleges with 27 in Punjab, three in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, five in Sindh and one in Balochistan. Published in Daily Times, April 6th 2018.