ISLAMABAD: The management of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) has removed four senior officers from all technical and purchase committees and tendering processes.

The notification, issued by Joint Executive Director (JED) Dr Ejaz Qadeer, states that radiologist Dr Zubair Azeem Butt, electromedical engineer Manzoor Saqlain, assistant engineer Mr Rafaqat Ali Butt and administration officer Children Hospital Yahya Shah will not be part of any committee of Pims till the finalisation of disciplinary proceedings against them.

Dr Qadeer, while taking to Dawn, said the decision was made after funds released for establishment of the unit of shredding, sterilization and disposal of medical waste at Pims were allegedly misappropriated.

Dr Qadeer said the Planning Commission had approved a PC-I and released Rs15 million a year ago for the study to establish the plant in the hospital and other equipment.

A company had qualified for the study and it also gave a guarantee that it would also get the no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak EPA), for the project, as it was also a requirement of the Planning Commission, he said.

“Amount was released to the company, in advance, but it did not bother to complete the project and even failed to get the NOC from the Pak EPA. The company ran away along with the money due to which exchequer faced loss,” he said.

Dr Qadeer said that the Pims Executive Director Dr Raja Amjad had also made a fact finding committee, headed by Dr Imran Sikandar, to look into the issue.

“Meanwhile, we got directions from the Ministry of CADD to remove all four officers from committees which have to take decisions regarding projects or purchases,” he said.

“The company had given the bank guaranty for the project so we have started process to cash or confiscate the bank guaranty,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2018