Constitution

Preamble

The Subject of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology is an essential specialty in any society that believes in the rule of law. It engulfs almost all aspects of medical practice and is an essentiality for the dispensation of justice. The Subject has developed considerably in Pakistan over the last few decades. The Faculty involved in this specialty has been contributing significantly in the creation of new knowledge through research; and in the dissemination of knowledge to all concerned.

In a meeting of experts of the Specialty of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, held at Faisalabad on the 25th of February 2017, it was decided to form a Society of experts in the specialty by the name of "Society of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology Pakistan (SFMTP)", with the aims and objectives as delineated below in order to promote the dispensation of justice in Society.

Name

The name of the Society will be "Society of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology Pakistan" hereinafter referred as the society.

Place

The head office of the society will be at Lahore.

Location of office

The official correspondence of the society will be at the following address; 166, Eden Avenue, New Airport Road, Lahore, Pakistan.

Aims and Objectives

• To promote education and practice in the fields of forensic medicine and toxicology including all its subspecialties.
• To promote the fields through creation and dissemination of knowledge through research and scientific meetings.
• Improve the dispensation of justice through innovations in the fields of forensic medicine and toxicology and all their subspecialties including but not limited to forensic pathology, clinical forensic medicine and forensic sciences.
• Liaise and cooperate with other organizations involved in the dispensation of justice including law enforcement agencies, judiciary, the legal profession and Academia.
• To arrange and oversee training programs conducted in the fields relevant to the society.
• To publish the proceedings of the society.
• To protect the interests, rights and privileges of its members and to promote harmony in the specialty and its related disciplines.
• To establish and enhance linkages with national and international bodies with similar objectives.
• To do all such acts and things as are incidental or subsidiary to all or any of the above.

Membership

Membership shall be open to all nationals of Pakistan who are involved in the teaching, training and practice of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology and their subspecialties; or are involved in law enforcement or the dispensation of justice. All applications for membership shall be approved by the executive committee.

There shall be the following categories of members:

Founding Members

The following shall be the founding members of the society:

• Prof. Nasib.R.Awan
• Prof. Inayatur Rehman Khalil
• Prof. Uraizi
• Prof. Abdur Rashid Mian
• Prof. Ijlal Haider Rizvi
• Prof. Niaz Ahmed Baluch
• Prof. Zahid Hussain Khalil
• Prof. M. Zahid Bashir
• Prof. Afzal Memon
• Prof. Ahmad Saeed
• Prof. Ghulam Qadir Kaheri
• Prof. Aijaz Ali
• Dr. Khurram Sohail Raja

All founding members shall be full members of the society on payment of the prescribed fee.

Full Members

• Medical graduates with postgraduate qualification in Forensic Medicine registered with PMDC.
• Dental graduates with postgraduate qualifications in Forensic Medicine registered with PMDC.
• Medical or Dental Graduates with Postgraduate qualifications recognized by HEC or issued by a university recognized by the regulatory authority of the country from where the qualification was obtained.
• Graduates with a postgraduate qualification in any of the Forensic sciences that is approved by the executive committee of SFMT.

Associate Members

• Any medical graduate who does not possess postgraduate qualifications in the field of Forensic medicine and Toxicology registered with the PMDC but is involved in teaching, training or practice of the specialty shall be eligible to become an associate member.
• Any person who is not a medical graduate and is not registered with the Pakistan Medical and Dental council, but has a requisite qualification accepted by the higher education commission and is involved in teaching, training or practice of forensic medicine, toxicology or any of their specialties will be eligible to become an associate member.

Honorary Members

Honorary membership may be bestowed upon by the society to professionals of outstanding service in the fields of medicine, law, justice or any other field having significant impact on the purposes of the Society of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology.

Life Members

Any full member or associate member of the society may become a life member after depositing the fee prescribed the executive committee of the society.

Membership Fee

The membership fee shall be as prescribed by the executive committee. The Rates of fee shall be reviewed and approved at the Bi-annual General body meeting. The fees shall be payable in the first quarter of each year i.e by 31st March failing which the membership shall stand suspended till the clearance of dues.

Disqualification of Member

The executive committee may disqualify a member or an office holder who:

• Has not paid the fee prescribed by the executive committee to retain membership of the society.
• Has worked against the interests of the society.
• Has been involved in moral or financial turpitude.
• Any other reason for which the executive committee feels that retention of membership of the individual shall be harmful to the society.

General Body

The general body shall comprise of all Full members, Associate members, honorary members and life members of the society. Only full members will be eligible to vote in the general body meeting. The General body shall meet at least once in two years to hold elections for the office bearers. However an annual meeting may be called by the president if necessary. The quorum for the General body meeting shall be 25% of the members of the society. It will approve the budget, the audited accounts, and the annual report presented by the executive committee. The decisions shall be a majority of the members present at the meeting.

Office Bearers

The Society shall have a central office and Six Regional/Provincial Chapters. Elections for the central office shall be held at the annual general body meeting. The office bearers shall hold office for a period of two years. Only full members shall be eligible to contest and vote in the elections.

The Society shall have the following Central office bearers:

• Patron
• President
• Vice Presidents
• General Secretary
• Finance Secretary
• Information Secretary
• Lady Coordinator

Functions/Duties of Office Bearers

President

The president is responsible for presiding over all meetings of the executive committee and the General Body. He shall be ex-officio member of all committees of the society. The president or his nominee shall represent the society in all meetings wherever the society is invited for representation.

Vice President

The Vice presidents shall represent the president in their regions/provinces and will liaise with the regional chapters on behalf of the central office of the society.

General Secretary

The General Secretary shall be the custodian of all records of the society. S/he shall maintain a directory of all members of the society. S/he will be responsible for notifying all members about meetings, their agenda, and any other business to be conducted in the meetings. S/he will compile the annual reports of the society. S/he will be the ex-officio member of all committees of the society. In the absence of the President, the General Secretary will act as the President.

Finance Secretary

The finance secretary will be responsible for all financial matters of the society. S/he will maintain the accounts of the society and shall be a signatory to all financial transactions of the society.

Information Secretary

The information secretary shall be responsible for developing a liaison with the print, electronic and social media. S/he will be responsible for disseminating the decisions of the society concerned with the general public and shall disseminate the opinions of the society on various issues of interest of the society.

Executive committee

The executive committee of the society shall consist of the central office bearers and the president of each Regional/Provincial chapter. The executive committee shall meet at least once in four months. Special meetings of the executive committee may be called by the President for consideration of urgent matters. The quorum for the executive committee meetings will be at least 50% of the members of the executive committee. The decisions shall be by a majority of the members present at the meeting.

The executive committee shall manage the affairs of the society as laid down by the General body. The executive committee shall have powers to frame rules and Regulations of the society to smoothly run the affairs of the society.

Finances

Sources of Income

The Society shall have the following sources of income:

• Membership fees
• Donations from members, individuals, organizations, and companies
• Grants from government, if any.

Maintenance of Accounts

The society shall maintain bank account/s in the name of the Society of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology. All accounts shall be maintained by the finance secretary. The Account shall be operated jointly by the Finance Secretary, General Secretary and President of the Society. Two out of the above three will be signatories of any financial transactions on behalf of the society.

The financial powers of the President, General Secretary and executive committee shall be as decided by the executive committee and approved by the General Body.

Annual Audit

All accounts of the society shall be audited by a firm of registered chartered accountants appointed by the executive committee. The Annual audited accounts shall be presented in the annual general body meeting of the society.

Financial Year

The financial year of the society shall be from 1st January to 31st December every year.

Amendment in the constitution

This constitution or any part thereof may be amended by the general body meeting. Any Proposal for amendment in the constitution shall be put up to the General Secretary at least ninety days prior to the General body meeting. It will first be put up in the executive committee. If approved by at least two-thirds of the executive committee members; it shall be circulated to all members at least sixty days prior to the General body meeting. The amendment will be effective if approved by at least two-thirds of the members of the General body meeting.

Dissolution of the Society

The society may be dissolved by vote of at least three fourths of the members present at the general body meeting.