Govt Finalizing Permanent Solution to Reserve Medical Seats Issue for Balochistan, KP Students: Mustafa Kamal

The government is working on a permanent solution to address the recurring issue of reserved medical seats for students from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to Health Minister Mustafa Kamal.

The government is finalizing a permanent solution to resolve the ongoing problem of reserved medical seats for students hailing from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as stated by Health Minister Mustafa Kamal during Question Hour in the Senate. This issue has surfaced repeatedly over the years due to the absence of a long-term mechanism.

Minister Kamal highlighted that some 194 medical seats were allocated for students from both provinces during the academic year 2017-18 and again in 2018-19, but no seats were granted during 2019-23. In subsequent years, the government decided to allocate a total of 667 seats—333 each for Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa—in 2023-24 and maintained this number in 2024-25.

The matter had previously reached the Supreme Court, which ordered the provision of 194 seats for one year. The government then established a permanent arrangement by creating 333 seats in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to ensure that students from both provinces would not face this issue every year.

Minister Kamal the Health Ministry and Pakistan Medical and Dental College (PMDC) had repeatedly written letters to provincial governments, colleges, and universities in both regions urging them to obtain necessary permissions and complete the process for regularizing the seats. However, despite repeated correspondence over the past year, the provincial authorities have shown little interest in pursuing this matter.

Mustafa Kamal expressed that the federal government is ready to facilitate both provinces by expediting inspections and fulfilling all required criteria to ensure the seats are formally approved and students do not continue to suffer from this issue in future. He parliamentarians and affected families had appreciated the Health Ministry and PMDC for taking one-time measures in the larger interest of students to prevent academic loss.

The minister’s come amid ongoing efforts to address a longstanding problem affecting medical education in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where reserved seats are crucial for ensuring equal access to healthcare training.