PESHAWAR: A Peshawar High Court bench on Friday stayed the appointment process of principal of Khyber Medical College over a writ petition filed by one of the candidates, challenging the process as non-transparent.

The bench comprising Justice Younas Taheem and Justice Mohammad Ghazanfar Ali issued the order after preliminary arguments of the counsel for the petitioner Dr Jamshed Ali.

The bench ruled that in violation of the rules framed by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) the qualification required for dean/principal was changed so as to deprive the petitioner from the said post. It issued notices to the chairman of the selection committee, PMDC, provincial health department, and other respondents asking them to file comments to the petition.

The petitioner was called for interview by the selection committee on Friday (Mar 3).

The counsel argued that his client was highly qualified and had done his PhD in pharmacology and had served against different posts in KMC, including its viceprincipal. He stated that last year the board of governors of Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) had published an advertisement in newspapers for selection of principal of KMC and the petitioner being suitable candidate had also applied for the said post.

He pointed out that earlier the petitioner had challenged the process before the court on multiple grounds as the chairman of the selection committee had also resigned.

He stated that a bench of the high court had disposed of that petition with the direction that the selection committee should be formed in a fair, transparent and equitable manner.

Meanwhile, another bench comprising Justice Roohul Amin Khan Chamkani and Justice Syed Afsar Shah stayed transfer of a female associate professor Dr Shah Taj, of Hayatabad Medical Complex to Khyber Girls Medical College. -Bureau Report