November 3, 2001	Saturday	Shaba’an 16, 1422

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GUJRAT, Nov 2: The health secretary has ordered an inquiry against a former medical superintendent (MS) of the Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Hospital for his alleged involvement in a case of misusing gas in the servant quarters and residences in the hospital, it is learnt.

Sources in the hospital and district accounts office said the provincial authorities had issued a letter No SO (B&A) 1-1/91-92- dated May 12, 1992, to the Gujrat accounts office and the ABS hospital, stating the sub-meters were essential at all government residences in the hospital.

Through a letter, the authorities ordered the suspension of gas supply in bulk before May 31, 1992. They also directed the officials concerned to charge the gas bills from occupants of the residences according to their pay scale. However, the rates put on the letter were forwarded without the approval of the Finance Department.

The corruption was unveiled when former MS Syed Talat tried to withdraw a bill (T 6516) which showed an amount of Rs1,567,940 as payable by the district accounts office on June 21, 2001. DAO Amir Mukhtar refused to clear the bill and wrote a letter No DAO/GRT/Admin/HM/ to the secretary health on July 2, 2001, requesting him to investigate into the matter.

The DAO levelled charges against the MS and questioned the number of meters installed in the quarters. He said the letter dated May 12, 1992, had not been approved by the finance department.

The payments already drawn in this regard might be recovered and deposited with the treasury, the DAO demanded.

He also alleged that the MS had pressurized him through various agencies to pass the bill.

He wrote another letter No DAO/GRT/Admn/HM/632-639 on Sept 8, 2001, to the health secretary who did not respond to the first letter.

In the letter, he alleged that when he asked the MS to inform him about details of the sub-meters, the accused replied there was no sub-meter installed.

The DAO also gave out details regarding sub-meters in his letter.

Sources told Dawn that pressurized by DCO Agha Nadeem, the DAO passed a bill of Rs400,000 in Sept. Following this, the health secretary, through a letter No SO (B&A) 9-57/96-97 dated Sept 29, 2001, had ordered a probe into the matter against former MS Syed Talat who was now holding the office of EDO (Health), Rawalpindi. The secretary deputed Gujrat EDO (Health) Syed Abid Husain an inquiry officer.