ISLAMABAD:Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary said on Tuesday that the government was working to resolve problems faced by Pakistani medical students studying at foreign universities, particularly in Central Asia.Responding to points raised by lawmakers in the National Assembly, he said the government would seek further information from the Ministry of National Health Services and the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC).The information would then be shared with the public, he added.Dr Tariq said most complaints had come from students studying in Central Asian countries, particularly Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and Kazakhstan.He said the PMDC was not responsible for the problems because the affected medical colleges had initially met the required criteria and were recognised by the relevant authorities.However, policy changes by the governments of those countries later led to some colleges being delisted, he added.The minister said his recent visit to Kyrgyzstan had also highlighted concerns about Pakistani medical colleges that met the required criteria but faced the threat of delisting.“We are trying to ensure that colleges which meet the required criteria are not delisted without a valid reason,” he said.Dr Tariq said the government was also working with the PMDC to facilitate students in registration and examinations in Pakistan. The aim was to ensure that they did not face unnecessary difficulties, he added.The minister also called for a comprehensive rehabilitation plan for residents of informal settlements in Islamabad’s developed sectors.He said such settlements existed in several sectors, including F-6, F-7, F-8, I-8 and G-7.He said residents of these settlements faced extremely poor living conditions despite living in developed parts of the capital.Dr Tariq said drains often passed underneath or alongside the settlements, further worsening living conditions.He urged the Ministry of Interior to revive an earlier proposal to rehabilitate and relocate residents of these settlements.He said the land occupied by the settlements was highly valuable and could be developed through a viable housing project. He proposed constructing apartments for the affected residents. This could improve their living conditions while also generating revenue for the government.