Corruption Scandal Surfaces at Khyber Teaching Hospital Peshawar

PESHAWAR: Serious allegations of large-scale corruption, illegal appointments, and misuse of authority have surfaced at the Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH), Peshawar, one of the largest public sector hospitals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

 According to hospital sources and official documents, the controversy began about eight months ago when the Chairman of the Board of Governors (BOG), Dr. Wajid, resigned on the pretext of ill health, allegedly due to pressure and illegal actions by Dr. Sajjad Dawar and members of the Insaf Doctors Forum (IDF).

Sources claim that Board Member Dr. Rubina Gillani, who is the wife of PTI Senator Dr. Noman Wazir, became the self-styled Chairperson of the BOG. It is alleged that Dr. Gillani illegally appointed Dr. Sajjad Dawar, a junior Clinical Assistant Professor in the Neurosurgery Ward, to five key administrative posts at the same time on an acting charge.

 The posts include: Hospital Director, Associate Hospital Director, Chairman Purchase Committee, Chairman Appointment Committee, Member Management Committee.

Hospital sources allege that during this period, corruption worth crores of rupees and illegal appointments were carried out, and that the practice is still continuing even after the imposition of Governor’s Rule in the province.

According to the complaint filed with authorities, for the last one and a half years, purchases worth crores for hospital pharmacy have been made on quotations of a favourite supplier, without any open tender or advertisement, in violation of KP procurement rules.

It has also been alleged that for the Sehat Card program, 20 favourite employees of Dr. Gillani were first recruited on daily wages without advertisement or interview and were regularized illegally after just two months.

Sources further allege that all senior administrative officers and managers of the hospital were harassed, threatened with inquiries, and forced to resign, and that favourite persons were posted on key positions.

At the behest of Dr. Gillani, last month alone, Dr. Sajjad Dawar allegedly recruited 120 Class-IV employees without following merit, it is claimed. The complainants have raised a legal question: Can a non-relevant and non-cadre Clinical Assistant Professor be legally given additional or acting charge of five posts at the same time, including the post of Hospital Director, and can an acting charge officer make such large-scale recruitments and purchases?

Hospital staff and concerned circles have appealed to Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi and Health Advisor Major General (Retd) Nigar Johar to take notice.

Their demands include the immediate removal of the politically imposed BOG member Dr. Rubina Gillani. Immediate removal of Dr. Sajjad Dawar from all five administrative posts and his repatriation to the Neurosurgery Ward for clinical duties.

A full inquiry by the Auditor General of Pakistan, the Anti-Corruption Establishment, and NAB into all recruitments, general and pharmacy purchases, Sehat Card purchases, and tender contracts awarded during the last one-and-a-half-year tenure of Dr. Sajjad Dawar. 

Recovery of monthly Rs. 3 lakh allowance and petrol illegally received by Dr. Sajjad Dawar during the last one and a half years.Resumption of the inquiry against Dr. Sajjad Dawar pending in Anti-Corruption, which was allegedly stopped politically by the previous PTI government.

When contacted, the hospital administration did not give an official version. The demands for an independent audit have intensified after the imposition of Governor’s Rule.

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