Misappropriation in Polyclinic: Probe body exonerates official of charges

The hospital administration has submitted that there is no doctor employed by the name of Umar Lodhi at the hospital

ISLAMABAD: An inquiry committee has exonerated an official of the Federal Government Services Hospital (FGPC), popularly known as Polyclinic from charges of misappropriation.

The committee in its report submitted to the Supreme Court stated that there is no documentary evidence of misappropriation in the supply of medicines as well as in the provision of gas to the hospital.

The two-member inquiry committee was formed by the Capital Administration and Development Division (CAAD) to probe the allegations about Polyclinic acting Executive Director Dr Naru and his wife Rubina Iftikhar.

A junior doctor had filed an application in the apex court accusing Dr Iftikhar Naru and his wife of misappropriation of drugs. He had claimed that Naru had his wife were partners in the Crescent Traders and Business Developer that supply medicines and gases to the hospital.

The committee in its report observed that the hospital record reveals that Crescent Traders and Business Developer have contracts with the hospital. However, the names of Dr Naru and his wife are not mentioned as partners’ in the FBR registration certificate, income tax returns, bank statements, account and other related documents of the contractors.

The report further stated that Crescent Traders is the officially selected contractor for the repair/maintenance of the air-conditioners at the hospital.

It is further submitted that the complainant, Dr Umar Lodhi, failed to attend the inquiry proceedings and record his statement.

Earlier, Chief Justice of Pakistan Anwar Zaheer Jamali had taken notice of the alleged misappropriation in the supply of medicines as well as in the provision of oxygen and nitrogen gas to the hospital and sought comments from the CADD secretary.

On June 18, Dr Umar Lodhi had filed an application to the human rights cell of the apex court accusing Dr Naru and his wife who, according to the applicant, were partners in the company which had been awarded the contract to supply equipment to the hospital for the last five years.

The hospital administration has submitted that there is no doctor employed or under training by the name of Umar Lodhi at the hospital, says the report.

The report further stated that former ED of the hospital, Dr Zahir Hussain was served three letters but he failed to attend the inquiry proceedings and did not respond.

“Dr Iftikhar Naru has been assigned the charge of drugs/medicines stores but there is no documentary evidence of theft of drugs/ medicines, available on the record”, says the report.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 12^th, 2016.