Much-awaited response: Health ministry fails to take action in kidnapping case

Says police have yet to share details of case


Umer Farooq August 20, 2016
K-P Secretary for Health Muhammad Abid Majeed confirmed the fact that the ministry was yet to receive proceedings into the arrests made by the police. PHOTO: FILE

PESHAWAR: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Health Secretariat failed to initiate departmental action against health employees allegedly involved in kidnapping and selling of newborn children from hospitals. The senior health officials said the reason for delay was the lack of evidence since the police department had failed to share details with them.

The officials said they would have initiated the enquiry to probe the issue if the police had shared any evidence pertaining to the case with the health department.

“I wonder how someone can initiate an enquiry against individuals allegedly involved in selling kids when you they do not even have a single thing on ground,” a senior official of the department said.

He requested anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

He added, “We urged the police department multiple times to share details of the case with the health department, however, we are still waiting for a response from them.”

Health Care Commission officials said the commission was waiting for a written response from the police since they had raided the area and would inevitably have evidence in possession.

The official criticised the police department for scoring to have nabbed a gang of doctors and other health employees for allegedly selling kids but keeping it secretive till the news conferences were completed and media personnel had left the scene. The official said the police should have shared details with the commission so that an enquiry could be launched.

The officials of the health secretariat stated they visited different health facilities in and outside the provincial capital to see if the crime was being committed. However, they said, they found nothing despite repeated visits.

“I do not claim everything is right but unless I have something in hand, I cannot question anyone,” an official of health secretariat told The Express Tribune.

K-P Secretary for Health Muhammad Abid Majeed confirmed the fact that the ministry was yet to receive proceedings into the arrests made by the police. “We have nothing in hand. The police have not shared anything with us,” Majeed said. He added an enquiry will be initiated once the police shared investigation reports and proceedings.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 21st, 2016.

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