Playing the part of provincial health secretary

Daska police arrest con artist for pretending to be the health secretary.


Express November 28, 2010

DASKA: The Daska city police have arrested a man for pretending to be the provincial health secretary of Punjab for several months.

According to the FIR (No889/2010) lodged by the duty officer Dr Muhammad Javaid at the Civil Hospital under sections 171,420 and 506 PPC, accused Muhammad Anwar went to the emergency department of the DHQ hospital and harassed the doctor on duty, Muhammad Javaid and other paramedics. “He demanded that he be looked at before other patients even though he was not in critical condition,” said Dr Javaid, adding that when the staff told him to wait he told them that he was the provincial secretary of health.

“I knew he was lying because I have met the health secretary in person. I looked into the matter and found out that no one had even bothered to check his records and the man had been given full protocol for four months,” Dr Javaid said.

The hospital staff said that Anwar forced the doctor to sign a fake medical legal certificate of a lady with a police docket and referral slip. When he was refused, he told the medical staff that he was the provincial health secretary of Punjab. “He harassed the doctor and threatened him with the dire consequences,” said an attendant at the hospital, Altaf.

When the medical staff checked the man’s records and his CNIC card they discovered that he was lying and called the police to the scene. The hospital management called the police, who arrested the accused from the hospital.

“It is rather surprising that this man has managed to pull off this cover for months. No one bothered to check him and he was extended full protocol,” said Dr Javaid, adding that he was only caught because the medical staff suspected him and demanded to see his identity card.

A preliminary police investigation revealed that the accused Muhammad Anwar was farmer in a local village, Baasiwala in Gujranwala. “He somehow managed to keep a low profile and was extended police protocol,” said sub inspector Altaf Butt, adding that Anwar admitted to having employed the fake identity whenever he needed to get any work done quickly.

“He said that every time he was the provincial secretary people paid for his meals and his work was done quickly,” Butt said.

Police officials have registered a fraud case against the accused Anwar on the reports of Dr Muhammad Javaid, a medical officer, deputed at Daska DHQ civil hospital. Police officials sent the accused behind bars and further investigations are underway.

Published in The Express  Tribune, November 28th, 2010.

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