A delegation led by Dr. Rafey Sher met Senator Fawzia Arshad after she raised concerns about Foreign Medical Graduates in the Senate Standing Committee on National Health. The committee took up the matter and examined recent policies of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council that have unsettled many graduates.
During the committee session the PMDC issued a notification stating that graduates from recognised universities would be granted PRMP (Provisional Registration for Medical Practice). Following advocacy efforts and a peaceful demonstration outside the National Press Club, alongside a public conference organised by the delegation, PMDC issued a statement reaffirming that FMGs from recognised universities would receive PRMP before appearing in the NRE. The council later retracted that position, creating further uncertainty for affected graduates.
Dr. Rafey Sher subsequently met Senator Amir Chishti, chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on National Health, who assured him that the issue would be placed on the agenda of the upcoming committee meeting. Lawmakers were urged to consider the implications of the councilโs changing stance on credential recognition and registration timelines.
Engagements with members of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Health clarified that the dispute does not concern graduates from unrecognised institutions but those who graduated from universities that were recognised at the time and have since been delisted. Nearly 4,000 medical graduates have been identified as affected by the retrospective change in recognition and registration policy.
A coordination meeting of the Foreign Medical Graduates brought together those impacted to discuss next steps and seek parliamentary intervention. Participants expressed hope that both Senate and National Assembly health committees will review the matter expediently and pursue relief measures, noting that retrospective action against previously recognised graduates raises serious questions about fairness and due process.
Stakeholders emphasized the need for clear, consistent policy from the PMDC to ensure Foreign Medical Graduates can complete the registration process and sit the National Registration Examination without the uncertainty created by sudden reversals.
