Daily Times

After a delay of almost 6 months, Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC) got an elected president who was selected unopposed through prescribed procedure of PNC rules during a council’s meeting held here on Friday.

According to information obtained by Daily Times, Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, who is also member National Assembly (MNA), elected as President of the Council at the Council 32nd session held under section 7 (1) of PNC act 1973.

“During course of council business, almost all members gave their vote in favor of Dr Shazia” a well-informed official of the PNC said, adding that no other candidate appeared against Dr Shazia. “Due to which all she got favor from all participating members to be elected as President PNC”, he explained.

Dr Shazia says she will try her best to work in the best interest of PNC. “As far as the PNC’s current performance is concerned I will comment after thoroughly reviewing this,” she claimed.

The post of PNC’s President was vacant for over 6 months when Afshan Nazly retired on completion of her superannuation age.

As per section 8(1) of the PNC act 1973, the Council shall in its meeting be presided over by a member elected for the purpose, elect from among its members a President and a Vice-President. And the President or the Vice President of the Council shall hold office as such for so long as he/she continues to be a member.

The President is the most important slot to run legal affairs of the council. While the selection of Vice President was pending yet due to unknown reasons. Despite repeated contacts, Registrar PNC, who is custodian of administrative affairs of the department, could not be approached to have a version about non-appointment of the Vice President. However, as per available documents, the selection of Vice President was not part of the aforementioned council meeting agenda.

As per PNC act, after the President selection the Council was also supposed to finalize the Executive Committee’s members.

The section 9 of the PNC act reads “the Council shall constitute an Executive Committee consisting of the President, the Vice President and seven other persons elected by it from amongst its members and may constitute such other committees for general or special purposes as the Council may deem necessary for carrying out the purposes of this Act,”

It the act added “the President and the Vice President of the Council shall respectively be President and the Vice-President of the Executive Committee.” While the Executive Committee shall exercise and perform such powers and functions as are or may be conferred or imposed upon it by or under this Act.

The sources disclosed this scribe that the incumbent Registrar Fozia Mushtaq had good terms with previous council but she may lose them with new elected council in that case, the sources apprehended, she can be replaced with some other one by the Council.

The Council shall appoint a Registrar of the Council and may appoint a Secretary, a treasurer and such other officers and servants as it may deem necessary for carrying out affairs of the PNC.

Moreover, the Council also has the prerogative to determine the terms and conditions of service and fix the pay and allowances of the officers and servants at PNC with the previous sanction of the federal government (Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination).

According to the available information Dr Shazia Sobia Aslam was elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on a reserved seat for women from Sindh first time in 2015 and second time in 2018. Healing from Sukkur Sind and having medical background Dr Sazia performed very vocally in NA standing committee’s meetings on health on different issues.

She was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan as a candidate of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on a reserved seat for women from Sindh in 2015 following the resignation of Alizeh Iqbal Haider.

She was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PPP on a seat reserved for women from Sindh in the 2018 Pakistani general election.