LAHORE: The Health Department launched a probe on Monday against a cardiac surgery professor of the Shaikh Zayed Hospital on the allegations of using passports of two countries and travelling abroad without seeking ex-Pakistan leave from the competent authority.

It is said to be an exceptional case in which a senior doctor (professor of cardiothoracic surgery Prof Dr Ajmal Hussain Naqvi) of the government hospital is facing charges of travelling abroad on an Irish passport and arriving back on a Pakistani passport.

The allegations were leveled by the attendant of a patient who first collected evidences, including travel record from the FIA and the medical institute, and then filed a complaint against Dr Naqvi with the chief minister and the health department, an official privy to the information told Dawn.

According to the official, the complainant, Farhan Aslam Khan, said he visited time after time at the SZH for the treatment of his sick wife but could never find Prof Ajmal Naqvi.

Facing charges of travelling abroad sans seeking leave

The complainant said when he and his ailing wife were frequently made to wait for hours he asked the duty doctors about Prof Naqvi and they informed him that he was abroad on ex-Pakistan leave.

The official said on inquiring, the SZH administration informed the complainant that according to a hospital record Dr Ajmal was not on ex-Pakistan leave.

Mr Khan informed the health authorities that the deputy dean of the institute, who was supposed to be a relevant official, was also unaware of Prof Naqvi’s absence from duty.

The health department acted when the complainant claimed to have obtained the travel record of Prof Naqvi on two separate passports (Irish and Pakistani).

He also submitted details, including time and date of travels, besides passport numbers that were obtained from the FIA, the official said.

The applicant claimed that the senior doctor proceeded abroad without getting the ex-Pakistan leave from the competent authority.

A health department’s committee, headed by the additional health secretary (establishment), started the probe on Monday to dig out the facts.

The official said the committee would probe on four lines -- the absence without information, use of passports of two countries to travel abroad, absence without getting NOC from the relevant authority and the ex-Pakistan leave without seeking approval from the competent authority.

He said the health department would proceed further on the basis of a report of the inquiry committee.

Prof Ajmal Naqvi said the probe was a conspiracy hatched by the Shaikh Zayed Hospital Chairman and he would respond to allegations at a proper forum.

Denying the allegation, the SZH Chairman said he had nothing to do with the entire issue as the complaint had been filed by the attendant of a patient and the health department had ordered the probe.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2015

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