Pakistan enters AI era with inauguration of larges…

Islamabad: A major debate has erupted over medical college seat expansion in Pakistan after the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) announced new seat enhancements for private medical colleges, while hundreds of existing private sector seats remain vacant due to the high cost of medical education. During a meeting of the Sub Committee of the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, the PMDC President informed lawmakers that seat enhancement approval has so far been granted to 19 private medical colleges. However, the exact number of additional seats approved for these 19 private medical colleges has not yet been disclosed. The announcement came as the committee was already discussing the serious shortage of affordable medical education opportunities for students who want to become doctors. PMDC officials also informed the committee that the government has increased public sector medical college seats by 780 additional seats, creating more opportunities for students seeking admission in public institutions. The committee was told that the increase in seats was part of efforts to expand medical education opportunities and address the growing student demand. At the same time, officials highlighted a major contradiction in the current system. While authorities are increasing the number of medical seats, hundreds of private medical college seats remain empty because many students cannot afford the fees. PMDC officials also informed the committee that hundreds of private medical college seats remained vacant this year because many students were unable to afford the high fee structure of private institutions. They stated the main reason was the high fee structure of private medical colleges, where many students could not afford fees ranging from Rs18 lakh to Rs25 lakh annually. Senator Anusha Rahman questioned why qualified students were unable to enter medical colleges when seats were available. She asked officials whether any seats in public medical colleges were vacant. PMDC officials replied that public medical college seats were completely filled. The senator questioned the situation, saying that thousands of students who had successfully passed MDCAT were still unable to become doctors because of limited seats and financial problems. She pointed out that around 70,000 to 75,000 students who cleared the admission test were left without medical college opportunities. The committee questioned whether enough steps were being taken to protect these students’ futures. During the discussion, Officials suggested a large scale expansion plan and proposed adding 10,000 more medical seats in the Medical sector through government supported loans and scholarship programmes. Senator Shahzaib Durrani said such an initiative could help thousands of students and would require around Rs15 billion annually, which he described as a manageable amount for the government. The committee also discussed whether increasing seats could affect the quality of medical education. PMDC officials explained that medical education requires proper clinical training facilities, including hospitals and patient exposure. Officials said there are specific requirements for increasing medical seats because colleges must have enough hospital beds for students. According to PMDC standards, colleges with 100 students require around 500 hospital beds, while institutions with 200 students need around 750 beds and colleges with 300 students require around 1,000 beds. A PMDC member said medical education cannot be expanded without improving clinical facilities because doctors need practical training, not only classroom education. However, Senator Anusha Rahman argued that increasing seats could encourage institutions to expand their healthcare facilities. She said medical graduates are also a national resource and many Pakistani doctors contribute internationally. The senator directed PMDC to prepare recommendations explaining why private medical college seats remained vacant and what should be done for thousands of qualified students who are unable to secure admission.

LAHORE: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Punjab has intensified its campaign against cybercrime, arresting four suspects in coordinated operations carried out in Lahore, Faisalabad and Multan. The arrests are linked to alleged cases of online harassment, blackmail and the misuse of social media platforms. According to the agency, legal proceedings have been initiated on the basis of digital evidence collected during the investigations. Authorities have also seized mobile phones and other electronic devices from the suspects, all of which have been sent for forensic examination to support the ongoing inquiries. In Lahore, officials arrested Haroon Qureshi, who is accused of repeatedly targeting women through various social media platforms by allegedly harassing, threatening and intimidating them. Investigators are examining the digital material recovered from his devices to determine the full extent of the alleged offences. In a separate operation in Faisalabad, NCCIA apprehended Abdul Rehman and Muhammad Ayaz. Preliminary investigations suggest the pair allegedly blackmailed a married couple using objectionable digital content and are accused of extorting money from them. During the raid, investigators recovered two mobile phones, WhatsApp accounts and alleged objectionable digital material related to several women. The seized evidence has been forwarded for forensic analysis to identify additional victims and any wider criminal network. Meanwhile, in Multan, authorities arrested Farhad Abbas on allegations of sharing a woman’s private photographs and videos on social media and using them to blackmail her. Investigators are reviewing the suspect’s digital records to identify possible accomplices and determine whether more victims may be involved. The NCCIA said forensic examination of the recovered digital evidence is continuing in all cases and investigations are being conducted in accordance with legal procedures. The agency also urged the public, particularly women, to report incidents of online harassment, blackmail, fake social media accounts or any other form of cybercrime without delay so that prompt legal action can be taken against those responsible.