MTIs unlikely to get new boards of governors despite cabinet decision.

PESHAWAR -- The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa caretaker government is unlikely to replace the current boards of governors (BoGs) of the medical teaching institutions in the province despite the cabinet's decision as the provincial chief secretary and health secretary have opposed such policy moves for being against the law, documents reveal.

'The cabinet should consider the relevant provisions of Section 230 of the Elections Act, 2017, before taking such [MTI board] decisions,' read the minutes of the cabinet's March 16 meeting in which the replacement of the MTI BoGs was decided.

According to the minutes obtained by Dawn, the chief secretary explained the said provision of the Elections Act in the meeting and said that the caretaker government should 'desist from making policy decisions as Section 230 of the Elections Act doesn't allow it.'

The chief secretary also highlighted the limitations placed on the decision-making of the caretaker cabinet by Section 230 of the Elections Act.

Top bureaucrats insist law stops caretakers from making such policy moves

The health secretary, who was also present in the cabinet meeting, insisted that the dissolution of MTI BoGs would 'create a vacuum and that there would be no one to administer their affairs.'

On March 17, the caretaker cabinet announced the replacement of the members of the MTI BoGs with professional people.

However, no progress was seen on it afterwards.

When contacted, adviser to the chief minister on health Prof Abid Jameel said his department would implement the cabinet's decision.

He, however, said the department hadn't received the minutes of the cabinet meeting in which the decision about the future of the current MTI BoGs was taken.

Legal experts say the caretaker government is to stay put for 90 days, so it is unlikely for it to complete the exercise of removing current BoG members and appoint new ones by the completion of its term on April 21.

According to them, the installation of new BoGs will take time as a search and nomination committee under the health adviser is to select new board members after the removal of the incumbents - a task that seems impossible as the time is running out for caretakers.

Senior lawyer Safiullah Muhib Kakakhel told Dawn that under the Election Act, the caretaker setup couldn't take policy decisions and instead, it was allowed to decide the issues of public interest only during its term.

'They [caretakers] can replace MTI boards but the court will strike...