PIMS Hospital’s top officials lock horns

Top officials of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) have locked horns after the restoration of the hospital’s status as an attached department of the federal health ministry.

Sources said that after assuming charge as the acting executive director of the hospital, Dr Rizwan Taj has nullified all appointments made by PIMS Joint Executive Director Dr Muhammad Iqbal Durrani, when the hospital was functioning under the Federal Medical Teaching Institute Act 2021.

Earlier, President Dr Arif Alvi signed the bill titled “Federal Medical Teaching Institute Repeal Bill 2022”, repealing the Federal Medical Teaching Institute Act 2021 and restoring the previous status of the hospital.

According to sources, an FIR was registered at the Karachi Company Police Station on the directives of PIMS Acting Executive Director Dr Rizwan Taj against Dr Muhammad Iqbal Durrani and others, who had allegedly removed the nameplates of some officers who had been appointed when the hospital was functioning under the MTI Act.

In the case filed on behalf of Joint Executive Director Chaudhry Waris, it has been stated that on the evening of January 11, the security staff of PIMS, at the behest of Dr Iqbal Durrani, removed the nameplates of Dr Khalid Masood and Dr Hashim Raza, who are holding key posts at the hospital.

The FIR said that the act of Dr Durrani and the security staff has caused serious consternation among the management officials and PIMS employees. It said that such acts were tantamount to disturbing and endangering the peace at the hospital.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 14^th, 2023.