Punjab chief, health secretaries put on notice

Given two weeks to respond to allegations that appointment of three MS in violation of rules.

RAWALPINDI:

The medical superintendents of three main hospitals in Rawalpindi are working in BPS-19, in violation of rules and regulations that state that these officials must be in BPS-20.

This is the basis of a petition filed in the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench. Justice Ali Baqi Najafi on Saturday gave Punjab chief and health secretaries two weeks on Saturday to respond to the petition.

The petitioner, Syed Nayyar Hussain, believes that District Headquarter Hospital MS Dr Sher Ali Niazi, Benazir Bhutto Hospital MS Dr Asif Qadir Mir and Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology MS Dr Shoaib Khan were appointed even though senior doctors, in BPS-20, were available for the post.

The petitioner termed the appointment of junior doctors on senior posts as “political”.

RIC OPD starts functioning

Meanwhile, the outpatients department of the recently-established Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology started functioning on Friday. Fifty patients visited the OPD in two days, RIC MS Dr Shoaib Khan told The Express Tribune on Saturday.

He said they had acquired the necessary machines and hired the required paramedical staff and doctors. He added that Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif will formally inaugurate the institute on September 15.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9^th, 2012.