DERA ISMAIL KHAN – A large-scale corruption in the tenders worth more than 550 million rupees (55 crore) has allegedly been revealed along with several illegal processes including illegal recruitments and taking commission in tenders in Medical Teaching Institution (MTI) Dera Ismail Khan (D I Khan), sources told The Asian Mirror.
They said that the officials of MTI D I Khan have allegedly violated the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (KPPRA) rules by issuing tenders to their favorite frontmen who give kickback commissions after which the affected and deserving contractors have approached National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and anti-corruption corruption.
An official of MTI D I Khan here on the basis of anonymity told The Asian Mirror that the Director District Headquarters Teaching Hospital Dera Ismail Khan, Finance Director and some certain members of the Board of Governors (BOG) and others are included who rejected the lower rate and accepted the tender at the higher rate.
According to sources, while issuing tenders worth millions of rupees, neither the comparative list has been issued nor the contractors and partner companies have been taken into confidence.
Another person who is associated with the Health Convenience Card Scheme program of the District Headquarters Teaching Hospital, D I Khan has revealed to The Asian Mirror on the condition of anonymity that the Director of Finance, who is domiciled in Faisalabad, Punjab, is receiving 21 percent commission from tenders of Mufti Mehmood Memorial Hospital and District Headquarters Teaching Hospital each which collectively becomes 42%.
Taking commission is totally illegal and completely against the MTI Act, he said adding that it is tantamount to robbing the fund of the Health Facilitation Program Scheme which is basically a program to provide free treatment to poor patients.
It should be noted that the Director of Finance also receives a monthly salary worth lacs of rupees and along with this he also enjoys a luxury bungalow and free hospital transport for the entire family.
Sources have also claimed that Secretary Board of Governors (BOG) Ahmad Shah, who is a regular employee of the Health Department for the last three years, is holding the post of secretary of BOG along with holding a government post, which is against the MTI Act.
Sources have also revealed that a new post of Project Director has been created beyond the MTI Act to complete the recruitment process in the Dental College while the recruitment has been strictly stopped by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
“Also, the investigation report of the four-member inquiry committee formed by the Chairman BOG Muhammad Raza Ali Khan Gandapur regarding previous illegal recruitments in the Dental College was suppressed under a certain agenda,” sources added.
Similarly, It also revealed that merit, transparency and required legal requirements were neglected in the matter of recruitment of Government Medicine Storekeeper and Procurement Manager of Tarauma Center.
These illegal recruitments were done on the behalf of aBOG member Dr. Maqbool Ahmad, who has vested interests in the recruitment process of Procurement Manager and Medicine Storekeeper of Trauma Center.
It is worth mentioning that telling about Dr. Maqbool Ahmad, a member of BOG the Dean and Chief Executive Officer of Gomal Medical College, Dr. Naseem Saba Mehsud, revealed in the on-record media that Dr. Maqbool illegally wanted to recruit his wife Saba Kaleem as a doctor in the Dental College and secondly that Dr. Maqbool is still a regular employee of the health department.
And they remain illegal members of BOG, Dr. Maqbool Ahmed so an inquiry is being demanded against these important suppliers as well. .
On the other hand, the sources also claim that in Government Hospitals of Dera Ismail Khan, Dr. Asiya Khawajakzai’s personal CT scan machine, MRI machine, ultrasound system and X-ray plant are installed, from the fees of which she has earned crores of rupees from poor patients. Now, for the maintenance and protection of this business, she has made both her husband Abdul Rauf Khan Gandapur and brother Ilyas Asad Khawajakzai BOG members using her political influence.
It should be noted that Dr. Asiya Asad Khawajakzai was the former KP Assembly MPA from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on a reserved seat for women.
Currently, the said former woman MPA has expressed her support for joining Parvez Khattak’s faction on the condition that her husband and brother will be retained as members in Dera Ismail Khan BOG.
On the other hand, the team under the leadership of Assistant Director of Anti-Corruption Department Sardar Saifur Rehman Khan Baloch and Circle Anti-Corruption Officer Sardar Minhaj Sikander Khan Baloch on the complaint of President of Local Newspaper Society Muhammad Asghar Chaudhry started investigation against corruption, bogus recruitments and other scams in the purchase of medical instruments.
