The decision was announced during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services held on Tuesday, chaired by Senator Aamir Waleeduddin. The move aims to improve the quality of medical education in Pakistan.

PMDC President Dr. Rizwan Taj cited a "serious shortage of qualified teaching faculty" and substandard infrastructure in many newly established institutions as the primary reasons for the moratorium. "Pakistan’s rapid increase in medical colleges—many lacking proper faculty and infrastructure—has compromised education quality," Dr. Taj told the committee. “The moratorium aims to consolidate standards before allowing new institutions.”

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The decision was supported by Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, who emphasized the need to preserve the global reputation of Pakistani doctors. “Even I, as the health minister, am not part of the PMDC board,” Kamal noted, stressing the importance of keeping the regulatory body free from political pressure or interference. “The PMDC has a 10-year national accreditation and must remain free from political influence.”

The controversial PMDC Amendment Bill was also addressed in the meeting, which proposes including parliamentarians on the PMDC board. The proposal was backed by Senator Humayun Mohmand, arguing that lawmakers should have representation like in other regulatory bodies. However, both Dr. Taj and Minister Kamal opposed the move, saying political involvement could weaken the institution s independence. “Political inclusion could undermine the reputation of our professionals,” Kamal warned.

Senator Irfan Siddiqui countered, suggesting that structured political representation might enhance governance. “The inclusion of political people would not change the institution s structure,” he argued, calling for broader stakeholder consultations before final decisions are made.

The debate will continue in the next committee meeting.