Federal Minister for National Health Services Mustafa Kamal on Friday informed the Senate that the issue of vacant medical college seats reserved for students from Balochistan was genuine and would be taken up with the relevant authorities and concerned colleges.
Responding to a calling attention notice moved by a senator regarding the non-compliance with the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) notification issued on April 8, 2026, the minister said the responsibility for filling reserved seats primarily rested with the respective colleges and provincial authorities.
He said the PMDC, being a regulatory body, had already communicated the matter to the concerned institutions and sought explanations for not filling the reserved seats allocated for students from Balochistan.
Mustafa Kamal said the federal government did not have a direct operational role in the admissions process, adding that health and medical education largely fell under provincial jurisdiction.
The minister acknowledged the seriousness of the matter and assured the House that, despite limitations in authority, efforts would be made to help resolve the issue.
He said the government recognized the importance of ensuring educational opportunities for students belonging to backward and underdeveloped areas, including Balochistan.
Work on Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway this Year
Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan informed the Senate that construction work on the long-awaited Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway would begin this year adding that approval has already granted for three out of its five sections and the tendering process underway.
Responding to a question raised by Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan during the Question Hour, the minister said the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway project had been divided into five sections stretching from Sukkur to Hyderabad.
He said that approval for three sections had already been completed, while the tendering process had also started, expressing hope that practical construction work would begin by August or September this year.
The minister said the government was focusing on improving road infrastructure despite financial constraints and declining allocations under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).
He said there were currently 109 toll plazas operational across the country and directives had been issued not to keep toll plazas active on roads that were in poor condition until rehabilitation work was completed.
Abdul Aleem Khan said toll revenue was essential for maintaining existing roads and constructing new highways, adding that the National Highway Authority (NHA) had generated significant revenue through toll collection to support infrastructure projects.
He acknowledged that the condition of several roads was unsatisfactory, saying shortage of funds remained a major challenge for road maintenance and expansion projects.
The minister further said overloading by heavy transport vehicles was severely damaging highways, adding that roads designed for long-term use were deteriorating within a few years due to excessive axle load.
He assured the House that the government was taking steps to improve road quality and infrastructure standards across the country.
Responding to remarks by senators regarding previous assurances about the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway, the minister said that after decades of delays, the project had finally reached the implementation stage and work would formally start this year.
Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Chaudhry Salik Hussain told the house in a written reply that the government is undertaking a comprehensive set of measures to create new job opportunities for Pakistanis abroad.
He said the government has expanded the labour mobility avenues through bilateral cooperation frameworks. He mentioned the MOU signed with Italy saying it provides an annual quota of about 3500 workers for three years in key sectors including agriculture, construction, healthcare, hospitality, logistics and ICT. He said a high-level committee has been constituted for employee engagement and quota utilization.
Responding to the points of opposition members, Advisor on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah Khan said the PTI founder and his spouse are being provided with the best available medical treatment. However, regarding meetings with the PTI founder, he mentioned that rules and jail manuals were violated saying these meetings were used for political objectives.
Meanwhile, the Upper House passed two bills. These included: Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council Bill, 2026 and The Special Economic Zones Amendment Bill, 2026.
The House will now meet on Monday at 5:00 pm.
Reporter Usman Khan