Six convicted in TPP scam

ISLAMABAD, June 30: An accountability court of Rawalpindi on Saturday convicted six in Rs3, 600 million Tawana Pakistan Project (TPP) scam case and awarded them 36-year of rigorous imprisonment with a cumulative fine of Rs45 million.

Accountability Judge Altaf Mahar sentenced Ashiq Hussain Sangi, the project director of the TPP and his accomplices M Ashraf and Zahoor for 5-year imprisonment with Rs5 million as fine each.

Other three convicts Fida Hussain Awan, M Azeem and Tanveer were sentenced 7-year imprisonment with Rs10 million as fine each.

Tawana Pakistan Project of the devolved Social Welfare Ministry was aimed at overcoming nutrition deficiencies of female students in remote areas by supplying them with food supplement.

The project worth of Rs3, 600 million was approved by Ecnec in September 2002 for a period of 54 months. According to the challan submitted in the NAB court by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) the convicts had embezzled Rs400 million in the same project.

The challan further said the convicts during 2006 and 2007, in connivance with some other accomplices had also embezzled another Rs110 million in fake purchases of different items and execution of the work in the TPP.

It further said the accused had confessed to making bogus supply of different items and had recommended payment to the fake firms. — A Reporter

Sunday won’t be off for doctors

RAWALPINDI, June 30: The Punjab Health Department has cancelled the weekly off of doctors at government-run hospitals and asked them to ensure their presence on Sunday at the out-patient departments (OPDs).

“We have made all the arrangements to run the OPDs in the allied hospitals on Sunday,” Rawalpindi Medical College (RMC) Principal Dr Musaddiq Khan told Dawn.

He said he had received directives from the provincial government to run the hospitals and open OPDs despite the weekly off.

He added that allied hospitals’ medical superintendents had also been conveyed the same.

“At present, we are running the OPDs despite the strike of young doctors and providing treatment to the patients at emergency departments. The YDA’s Rawalpindi chapter is cooperating and has not created any problem for the management,” said Dr Khan.

He added that provincial government had asked the administration of the hospitals to maintain the attendance register of doctors as it would take strict action against those found absent from duty.

When contacted, YDA Rawalpindi president Dr Junaid Abbasi said, “We won’t comply the orders till the acceptance of our demands.” — A Reporter