LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday issued a stay order against the bidding process of the Pakistan Medical Commission for computerised examinations including the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT).

The court restrained PMC from awarding tenders to any bidders and issued notices to all parties including PMC, Ministry of Health, and Competition Commission of Pakistan.

LHC’s Justice Jawad Hassan issued the order on a petition filed by a private company challenging the eligibility criteria for tenders for examinations, including MDCAT.

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Saad Rasool, counsel for the petitioner, argued that according to PMC’s tender, only companies with experience in conducting computerised examinations in the past were eligible for the bidding.

“Not a single company operating in the IT sector across the country has met the standards set by the commission,” he contended, adding that PMC has once again planned to award the contract to a company called TIPS by setting illegal conditions.

He said PMC previously revoked the agreement with TIPS because it was made against the PPRA rules.

On the court order, PAPRA had also declared the previous agreement as a violation of rules and regulations.

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The commission has now re-tendered for the award to a specific company and the court should declare the eligibility criteria set out in this tender as illegal.