Only twenty five employees of Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) received medical reimbursements worth almost Rs 2.5 million, according to a high-level inquiry report on alleged irregularities in OPF which is available with Pakistan Today.
The report disclosed that Faiz Muhammad received an amount of Rs 276,830 on account of medical reimbursements in a period of two years, followed by Haq Nawaz who had drawn Rs 121,902.
Other employees that were among the top receivers of medical reimbursements include Nazir Husssain with Rs 114,911 and Ghazanfar Ali with reimbursements worth Rs 112,510.
These 25 employees received a total amount of Rs 2,439,743.
While sharing its findings, the high-level inquiry committee said, that the free outdoor medical treatment facility was being grossly abused by OPF employees and its management.
The committee further said the OPF Board of Governors seriously objected to the high amounts being paid on account of medical reimbursement to employees.
The committee said it had information that OPF employees were involved in getting prescriptions of their choice from the medical practitioners on the OPF panel and had used the money for purchasing household goods and had even received cash from medical stores linked with OPF.
Two other OPF officials, Farooq Azam and Saifur Rehman, received foreign treatment for which they were later reimbursed for the complete tour.
The committee recommended stern action against these employees and asked the two to recover the whole amount they had received in reimbursements.
The report is likely to be presented before the Supreme Court of Pakistan by May 26, and carries major irregularities that were carried out in OPF during 1998-9.
The inquiry report was completed in 2000 but no one managed to present it before the court or make it public.
Most government officers who tried to take up the issue failed to protect their jobs and were either terminated or transferred.
However, under directions of the Supreme Court the report would be presented this time around.
