DIMC students challenge fee collection in dollars in SHC

KARACHI:  The Dow International Medical College(DIMC) students have challenged the collection of fees in dollars by the administration in the Sindh High Court, which refused their lawyer’s request for granting a stay to the process, issuing notice to parties for July 26.

Hearing the plea filed by lawyer Shahab Sarki, Justice Adnan Iqbal Chaudhry said that the court cannot issue a stay order on it at this time.

The lawyer petitioner Advocate Sarki said the fee challan amount started from Rs1.5 million and now it has been increased to Rs3.2 million, while the university, despite operating in Pakistan, was charging the students in US dollars.

The lawyer said the university falls in ‘C’ category, while some of the students were issued Rs3.2 million fee challan, as others were given challans worth Rs2.8 million.

On this, Justice Chaudhry said the fee was still lower than those of the universities in other countries.

On Advocate Sarki’s argument that as per regulation, the varsity cannot increase the fees, the court issued a notice to the parties for July 26.

Justice Chaudhry said: “If you [students] want to fill the challan, fill it, [court] will see later if it is illegal,

then you will [be] returned the money.” To this, the lawyer said that the students cannot afford the fee.

Justice Chaudhry further said, “We cannot issue any stay order on it at this time.”

Later, the court adjourned further hearing on the application till July 26.