Pakistani Lawmakers Call for Reforms to Support Foreign Medical Graduates
ISLAMABAD,M.Saleem Lawmakers from multiple political parties in Pakistan have voiced strong support for Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs), urging the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) to implement transparent reforms to address licensing and recognition challenges faced by young doctors educated abroad. The issue was raised in recent meetings led by Dr. Rafey Sher, elected representative…
ISLAMABAD,M.Saleem
Lawmakers from multiple political parties in Pakistan have voiced strong support for Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs), urging the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) to implement transparent reforms to address licensing and recognition challenges faced by young doctors educated abroad.
The issue was raised in recent meetings led by Dr. Rafey Sher, elected representative of FMGs and Chief Coordinator of Justice for FMGs. Lawmakers from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), and Awami National Party (ANP) agreed that the current PMDC framework lacks clarity and fairness for foreign-trained Pakistani doctors.
Senator Palwasha Khan and Senator Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto of the PPP expressed full solidarity with FMGs, saying that qualified doctors from globally recognized universities should not be left in uncertainty due to bureaucratic or procedural delays. Senator Bhutto pledged to raise the matter at parliamentary forums, noting that Pakistan urgently needs to integrate these doctors to address the national shortage of medical professionals, particularly in rural areas.
Leaders from the MQM and ANP also endorsed the FMG movement’s demand for a merit-based, internationally aligned licensing system, calling the issue “a matter of national importance.”
Representing thousands of graduates, Dr. Rafey Sher reiterated that FMGs are ready to serve Pakistan if given fair recognition. “Our struggle is for fairness and national service,” he said, urging the Ministry of Health and PMDC to expedite reforms that align with global medical education standards and prevent brain drain of Pakistani talent.
