Islamabad, March 3, 2026: The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination convened at Parliament House under the chairmanship of Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti to discuss key legislative and policy issues affecting Pakistan’s health sector.
The meeting was attended by Senators Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto, Syed Masroor Ahsan, Rubina Khalid, Anusha Rahman Ahmad Khan, Rahat Jamali, Sarmad Ali, Dilawar Khan, and Agha Shahzaib Durrani. Senator Jan Muhammad participated as a special invitee, while Senator Hidayatullah Khan attended as the mover of a point of public importance.
The Committee conducted an in-depth review of the Private Member’s Bill, “The Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (Regulation) Bill, 2025.” Members appreciated the intent behind the legislation and deliberated on its provisions.
The Ministry briefed the Committee on stakeholder objections and recommended a complete ban on vapes, citing concerns over potential drug intoxication. The Ministry also noted that taxation issues were inadequately addressed in the bill. After discussion, the Committee resolved to incorporate the Ministry’s proposed amendments and directed that a comprehensive briefing on the updated bill be presented at the next meeting.
The Committee examined the centralized admission policy for private medical colleges, expressing concern over the current 50% weightage assigned to the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT), which members deemed disproportionate.
The Committee called on the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council to reassess the MDCAT structure and align it with international best practices. The Chairman emphasized complaints regarding overcharging of admission fees beyond prescribed limits and instructed strict action against violations.
Members recommended a revised weightage distribution: 33% for MDCAT, 10% for interviews, and 57% for Matric and FSc marks, with a detailed, evidence-based briefing to follow in the next session. They also urged the Ministry to explore measures to increase the total number of medical seats nationwide.
The Committee discussed licensing procedures for foreign-qualified doctors. Senator Chishti directed the PMDC to facilitate doctors who have successfully cleared the National Registration Examination (NRE) in accordance with regulatory requirements.
Concerns were raised regarding the alleged arbitrary selection of students from Balochistan by the University of Health Sciences (UHS) under the Prime Minister’s Special Scholarship Program. The Chairman instructed the PMDC to investigate the matter and ensure compliance with the prescribed selection process set by HEC and PMDC.
Discussion on starred questions referred to the Committee by the House was deferred due to the absence of the mover.
The session underscored the Committee’s continued focus on strengthening regulatory oversight, ensuring transparency in admissions, and safeguarding public health in Pakistan.
