Pakistan Medical and Dental Council has come under controversy after serious allegations were levelled against its registrar, Dr Rehan Asghar.
According to reports, the PMDC director legal has written a letter to Shehbaz Sharif, accusing the registrar of misconduct, financial irregularities, misuse of authority, and violations of the PMDC Act 2022.
The complaint alleges that Dr Rehan Asghar unlawfully increased lawyers’ fees by up to 100 percent and approved higher legal payments without properly consulting the legal department. The letter further claims that these decisions caused losses worth millions of rupees to the national exchequer.
Additional allegations suggest that the registrar presided over judicial proceedings without legal authority and prepared what was described as a “self-styled agenda” before obtaining council approval while allegedly concealing important information.
The complaint also accuses the registrar of protecting lawyers allegedly involved in issuing bogus invoices instead of taking action against them. Concerns were additionally raised about alleged interference in registration, licensing, inspections, and appointment matters within the council.
Among the key allegations is the appointment of a legal adviser without advertisement or merit-based selection, reportedly in violation of Public Procurement Regulatory Authority rules. The letter further claims that the adviser received a significant retainer fee without tax deductions being made.
However, Dr Rehan Asghar has firmly denied all accusations. Speaking to the media, he described the allegations as baseless and maintained that all decisions taken by the PMDC were approved by the council president and carried out according to rules and merit.
He also stated that he is consulting legal counsel to file a defamation case against the director legal who submitted the complaint. Dr Asghar argued that the complainant had only remained at the PMDC for a very short period and therefore lacked proper understanding of council affairs.
The matter has now sparked public attention, with differing claims from both sides regarding the administration and governance of the PMDC.
