PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (ANP) has condemned the decision of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) to reduce seats in medical colleges allocated for students of Balochistan and tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to a statement issued here on Sunday, ANP central president Aimal Wali Khan termed the decision a `sheer injustice` and demanded its immediate reversal.

He criticised the decision to reduce the medical seats from 333 to 194, stating that it would deprive students from underprivileged areas of their rightful opportunity to pursue medical education. He said that the people of those regions already suffered owing to flawed policies of government and they were still bearing the brunt of terrorism and instability.

Aimal Wali questioned the timing of the decision, asking why PMDC suddenly remembered a court decision of the year 2018.

He suspected that the seats might be allocated to students from Punjab or other influential groups. `It is a clear case of educational injustice and discriminatory policy,` he added.

He said that his party would raise its voice against the decision at every forum, from provincial assembly to Senate.

He urged federal government to withdraw the decision, emphasising that education was the fundamental right of every Pakistani citizen.

The authorities had previously increased the number of seats for students of tribal districts and Balochistan in MBBS and BDS programmes.

However, the recent decision to reduce those seats sparked widespread criticism and outrage.

The ANP leader vowed to oppose the decision and fight for the educational rights of students of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He demanded of the federal government to immediately reverse the decision and ensure that the seats were allocated to deserving students from those regions.