-Health ministry dubs allegations baseless, unfounded
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Tuesday took strict notice of the letter written to him about alleged illegal appointments and financial embezzlement in the Ministry Of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination.
Sources privy to the development told Pakistan Today that a letter written to the premier had informed him about the alleged corruption in the health ministry during the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) tenure.
Taking notice of the letter, they said that the premier has directed the Ministry of Health secretary to immediately probe into the matter and submit a report to the PM complaint cell in this regard at the earliest.
The sources said that the letter has informed the PM of a total of 148 vacancies, including the posts of the clinical pharmacologist and medical technologist were filled without following the due process of advertising the posts.
It read that the provincial quota, as well as the two per cent quota allocated for special persons, were also violated during the appointment process, as they were not given the due share in the appointment quota.
Sources said that the Establishment Division had issued a no objection certificate (NOC) and allowed to advertise the vacant posts within six months; however, the due process of the appointments was still not followed.
They said that the letter suggested that the premier issue an investigation order regarding the appointment of heads of various institutes in the ministry who were appointed and given extensions without the cabinet’s approval.
It was further alleged that land of the health ministry was given to a cellular company on lease by violating the set procedure and donations have been received from pharmaceutical companies and contractors; however, the received amount was spent in violation of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rule.
When this scribe contacted PRO to Health Minister Sajid Hussain Shah, he confirmed that the PM has sought a report about the alleged illegal appointments and financial embezzlement in the health ministry.
However, he said that the ministry has submitted a report to the prime minister with complete detail and evidences that the appointments were made on merit and there had been no violation of rules and that the PM has also been informed that the allegations were baseless.
In response to a question, he said that it is not a big issue as some people complain without any justification.
When he was asked whether any disciplinary action has been taken against the officials who wrote the letter to the premier, he simply said that nothing could be made of people with negative mentalities.
