PMDC’s Pay Paradox: Unpaid President, Lucrative Allowances
Nadeem Tanoli
Islamabad: Pakistan’s top medical regulator has come under parliamentary scrutiny after lawmakers questioned the absence of a formal salary structure for the president of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), exposing broader concerns over governance, financial oversight and administrative transparency.
The issue surfaced during the 40th meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health Services, where members examined the remuneration framework for the PMDC’s top office and the council’s payment policies.
Committee members were informed that PMDC President Prof Dr Rizwan Taj has not been drawing any salary from the council since assuming office. The disclosure prompted lawmakers to question how the country’s principal medical regulatory authority has continued operating without an approved compensation mechanism for its chief executive.
The PMDC is responsible for regulating medical and dental education, registering healthcare professionals, accrediting medical institutions and maintaining professional standards across Pakistan.
During the meeting, legislators also discussed a proposal to align the PMDC president’s salary with that of a public university vice chancellor, potentially fixing monthly remuneration at around Rs1.5 million. Officials clarified that the proposal remains under consideration and has not received final approval.
The committee also reviewed a separate proposal to increase meeting allowances for PMDC council members from Rs50,000 to Rs100,000 per meeting. That proposal, too, remains pending approval.
Lawmakers questioned why the council had been considering higher meeting allowances while the office of the president continued to function without an approved salary package.
Committee members further sought clarification regarding reports that Prof Dr Rizwan Taj had previously held multiple public-sector positions simultaneously and may have drawn remuneration from more than one office.
Responding to the concerns, Dr Taj denied receiving any salary from the PMDC, stating that he had served in an honorary capacity and had not personally initiated any proposal regarding his own remuneration.
He said the suggestion to align the PMDC president’s salary with that of a vice chancellor was discussed by the council’s executive committee and had yet to be approved by the relevant authorities.
Dr Taj also clarified that he no longer holds his previous position at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and currently serves only as PMDC president.
Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal supported the council president’s statement, telling the committee that documentary evidence could verify that no salary had been paid to Dr Taj by the PMDC.
The minister argued that expecting the head of a national regulatory authority to work without remuneration was not appropriate, adding that he would support an officially approved salary package consistent with the office’s responsibilities if such a proposal reached his ministry.
The parliamentary discussion has drawn attention to broader governance issues within the PMDC, including the need for clearly defined service conditions, transparent compensation policies and stronger institutional oversight for one of Pakistan’s most influential regulatory bodies overseeing the country’s medical profession.
