Dispute over promotion: ATH doctor accuses clerk of tampering with merit list

ABBOTABAD:

A senior doctor at Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH) has accused the clerical staff of tampering with the seniority list, diminishing chances of his promotion to assistant professor.

While sharing documentary proof of his claim with The Express Tribune on Wednesday, ATH Senior Registrar Dr Saqib Malik said according to the list issued from the office of the hospital director on January 1, he was on top, amongst 27 other senior registrars who work in the hospital. However, he said, “Another list was issued from the office of the medical director which had Dr Haidar Zaman on top.”



Malik claimed he completed his FCPS in 2005 and MRCP in 2010 from England after completing a mandatory tenure at “the medicine unit”. He pointed out, “Dr Haidar has not completed his MRCP and has not been in the unit for the required period.”

Malik shared the copy of the decision taken by a four-member committee of senior ATH professors, dated March 2, chaired by Professor Tahir Saeed Siddiqui. According to the committee’s findings, Malik secured 3,125 marks out of 4,400 in all professional examinations of MBBS, while Zaman obtained 2,915 marks.

The committee pointed out overwriting and tampering was evident in the merit list and declared Malik the more senior candidate.

Malik accused a clerk of tampering the records and demanded that the authorities take legal action against him. He also demanded a promotion to the post of assistant professor.

Meanwhile, an ATH official told The Express Tribune the last meeting of board of governors (BoG) was held on March 5 to resolve the dispute over seniority. He said a decision was yet to
be taken.

When approached, Zaman was not available for comments but Hospital Director Dr Siddique Rehman confirmed there was a dispute between the two senior registrars of the medicine unit. He said the BoG and hospital administration reviewed records but kept the decision pending as both parties have sought help from the court.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 10^th, 2016.