The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council convened PMDC preliminary hearings in Islamabad to examine the circumstances surrounding an OT video leak and two tragic student suicides. Prof. Dr. Rizwan Taj, President of the Council, and Dr. Rehan Naqvi, Registrar, expressed deep sorrow over the incidents and reiterated a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and institutional negligence.
Three separate preliminary hearings were held to ensure a fair and informed assessment before any formal disciplinary steps. Relevant stakeholders, including representatives from the concerned colleges and hospitals, were invited to present their accounts so that the factual matrix could be clearly established. The President reviewed initial findings and sought clarifications to verify key facts and assess the sufficiency of evidence.
The first hearing addressed the OT video leak scandal involving PG trainees at Lady Wellington Hospital, Lahore. All five doctors named in the inquiry attended, including Dr. Tayaba Fatima, Dr. Zainab Tahir, Dr. Muhammad Essa, Dr. Ayesha Afzal and Dr. Maham Amin. The circulated clip reportedly showed a race between teams operating on two tables accompanied by callous comments, raising serious concerns about professional conduct and patient safety.
The second hearing reviewed the circumstances of the suicide of final-year MBBS student Ms. Fareeha at Fatima Jinnah Medical College, Lahore. The principal of the college appeared before the Council and provided an explanation of the facts as known to the institution while authorities answered questions to clarify timelines and institutional responses.
The third hearing focused on the suicide of third-year MBBS student Ms. Fehmida Leghari of Muhammad Medical College, Mirpurkhas. The college principal attended to present the institution’s account and respond to queries aimed at establishing whether any lapses in student protection or grievance redressal procedures occurred.
Following the PMDC preliminary hearings, the President directed that all three matters be forwarded to the PM&DC Disciplinary Committee for final determination; the committee is scheduled to sit next week. The Council emphasized that strict action will be taken against any individual or institution found responsible for negligence, misconduct, or violations of student protection policies, and stressed the urgent need to strengthen grievance redressal mechanisms to maintain a safe and supportive learning environment.
