Irregular appointments at BBH: Pindi ACE seeks cases against hospital officials

Request sent to Punjab anti-corruption chief for permission

RAWALPINDI: The Anti-Corruption Estab­lishment (ACE) in Rawalpindi has reportedly sent a request to the Punjab ACE director general, seeking permission to register a case over irregularities in hiring 185 non-gazette employees at Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH).

Officials in Rawalpindi ACE confirmed to The Express Tribune that the department, after completing preliminary inquiries, the case had been sent to ACE chief in Lahore for approval.

An official, speaking on the condition of anonymity since he was not allowed to talk about ongoing investigations, said that a preliminary inquiry had revealed irregularities in the process of hiring staff for BBH and its newly established Filter Clinic for Mother and Child located at Committee Chowk.

The committee had hired 185 people for non-gazette posts such as clerks, watchmen, receptionists, operators, lab technicians, X-Ray technicians, ECG technicians and other posts.

A management board Rawalpindi Medical College and Allied Hospitals in its meeting on November 28 had approved all the appointments, the sources confided.

However, no appointment letters were issued to successful candidates.

During the process of appointments, it is alleged that merit was compromised while unqualified people were recommended for
the posts.

There were also allegations that the doctors had taken kickbacks to appoint candidates of their choice.

The official further said that during the course of investigations, Rawalpindi ACE investigators had questioned former BBH Medical Superintendent Dr Asif Qadir Mir who had headed the committee for appointments in November 2016. Dr Mir had retired in December.

The investigators had also questioned Dr Khalid Randhawa, the medical superintendent of the District Headquarters Hospital. BBH Additional MS Administration Dr Safdar masood had also been questioned.

Both were were members of the committee.

After completing its preliminary investigations, ACE determined that a criminal case could be lodged against the doctors responsible for making in BBH and the appointment committee for alleged irregularities.

However, the case against senior government officials can be registered only after obtaining approval from the ACE director general, the official said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2017.