Three caught fudging jabs data

Entries made in record without administration of vaccine

LODHRAN:

The health department and intelligence personnel have arrested three members of a group involved in making bogus entries of coronavirus vaccination in the official record.

Lodhran residents Aftab, Shehzad and Owais have been arrested and a case has been registered against them under Sections 420, 468 and 471 of the Pakistan Penal Code in the city police station.

According to police officials, the suspects were providing people online records of vaccination. Cash, mobile phones and other items were seized from their possession.

Read Covid vaccination certificate must for air travel after Sept 10: NCOC

The group was operating from a mobile phone shop at Super Chowk, where vaccination entries were being made for people going abroad for Rs5,000 each and other citizens for up to Rs2,000.

In view of the international requirement for coronavirus vaccination of travellers, the gang was reportedly issuing bogus confirmations of inoculation to its clients by using passwords issued to some health officials in Multan and Muzaffargarh.

The data was uploaded through the health department, after which the people could receive the vaccination cards from National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) offices and designated shops.

A screenshot of bogus vaccination report obtained by The Express Tribune. Photo Express

An investigation was under way to identify any other officials or citizens involved in the case.

The sources said that the district health officer had traced the suspects with the help of his team and law-enforcement officials.

They said the investigation might be broadened as fake registration of the vaccination may not only cause embarrassment for the country at the international level but also hamper the national efforts to curb the pandemic.

The sources said details were also being collected of the people to whom the group had issued false confirmation of the vaccination. Action will be taken against the people acquiring false vaccination certificates.  

Lodhran District Health Authority Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr  Sajjad Akhtar told The Express Tribune that the officials concerned had been on the lookout for the gang.

It was offering its service through phone and Facebook.

“When we asked them, they said they had entered data of 20 people and had started the work work three days ago. However, a detailed investigation is still under way,” he said.

Deputy Commissioner Imran Qureshi said the suspects were arrested with the help of the police as soon as the matter was revealed.

“Further investigation is under way and the online system login ID and password of the Multan District Health Authority have also been changed because the suspects were using them,” he added.

District Police Officer Abdul Rauf Babar Qaisarani said strict action would be taken against the suspects as per law.

An FIR has been registered against them for fraud.

Multan Assistant Commissioner Khawaja Umair Mehmood said it had been confirmed that bogus entries had been made in the coronavirus data without vaccination. He said some arrests had been made in this regard.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 10^th, 2021.