PESHAWAR, June 20: The tussle between the director-general health and the MMA government, with the former reluctant to relinquish the charge despite being transferred, has brought the functioning of the directorate almost to a standstill, officials said.

DG health Brigadier Dr Habibur Rehman was transferred on May 26 and posted as acting chief executive of the Lady Reading Hospital, and Dr Jalilur Rehman, medical superintendent of the same hospital, was appointed DG health in his place.

However, Dr Habibur Rehman is yet to relinquish the charge of DG health services. He argues that the NWFP government had requisitioned his services from the GHQ, Rawalpindi, three years back as DG health, NWFP, and that he would continue in the same position till Nov 10, the day he would complete the three-year term.

Dr Habib went on a 10-day casual leave on May 28. In the meantime, the secretary health, NWFP, asked Dr Jalil to continue as DG health, who sat at the office of the director administration of the directorate general health services (DGHS).

Dr Habib also wrote a letter to the NWFP Chief Minister Akram Durrani last month, in which he cited the reason why he was not giving up the charge of DG health. The response of the chief minister is still awaited.

After joining the duties, Dr Habib has continued to act as DG health. He performed duties along with Dr Jalil. The strange spectacle of two DGs simultaneously working is for the first time being seen.

Meanwhile, the government again notified the transfer of Dr Habib on June 7, stating that Dr Jalil had assumed the charge. This was meant to send a message to the employees so that they could start contacting Dr Jalil for office work, but the situation has not changed much.

A doctor, who heads a section at the DGHS, told Dawn that he was being instructed by both the DGs on identical matters. “I can’t obey or disobey anyone of them, because both happen to be senior-most persons,” said the doctor.

Similarly, it is difficult for the employees of the DGHS to disobey Dr Habib, who had been their boss for the last three years.