'Centre reclaiming hospitals is premature, unlawful'.

KARACHI -- Taking exception to Centre's recent move to take administrative control of three major hospitals in Karachi, Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, in a letter addressed to special assistant to prime minister Dr Zafar Mirza termed the act 'premature and unlawful.'

Responding to a notification issued By: the federal national health services ministry on June 13, whereBy: Centre reclaimed Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) and the National Institute of Child Health (NICH), the health minister stated that the notification 'seems not to have been written in good faith,' and requested that it be withdrawn.

Also, referring to a Supreme Court order dated January 17, 2019, she underlined that the apex court had made the transfer of the hospitals, as well as that of the National Museum of Pakistan, subject to the fulfillment of certain conditions pertaining to financial and budgetary matters, disbursements, outlays and expenditures. Until the fulfilment of these conditions, the status of the facilities is to remain unchanged as per the court order, she maintained.

She further drew attention to the court directive for the federal government to reimburse the Sindh government for 'all disbursements, financial outlays and expenditures incurred' on account of JPMC, NICVD and NICH, from June 29, 2011 till the date of return of the hospitals to the Centre.

Pointing out that the Sindh government continued to manage the hospitals 'in the best...