ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) will remain without a regular executive director for the near future after the Central Selection Board failed to meet again to make a decision on the top appointments.

The board was slated to meet in November, but the meeting was deferred due to a law and order situation in Islamabad. It was rescheduled to meet in December this year, but the meeting had been postponed for some reason.

“We have heard that the meeting of the CSB has been postponed as the Pakistan Peoples Party wants to give input in such appointments. I demand that Bilawal Bhutto must be included to participate along with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the process of the promotion of senior officers by the High-Powered Selection Board (HPSB) to ensure transparency and meritocracy in the system,” Dr Saifur Rehman, who works at Pims, told Dawn.

It may be mentioned that officials from the Pims admin cadre and the faculty had approached various forums, including parliament and the prime minister of Pakistan, to streamline the issues plaguing one of the largest public-sector hospitals.

Central Selection Board meeting postponed again

“Currently, patients are suffering and there is no one to address the issues of the hospital. A regular executive director (ED) will be able to address the issues and ensure merit and transparency at the health facility. It is a fact that no one listens to an acting ED,” claimed Dr Saif, who also filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for the appointment of a permanent head.

He said the implementation of the Supreme Court decision of 2016 could help resolve the issues faced by Pims and improve patient care, adding that at present, patient care in Pims was at its lowest.

“The apex court had directed that for the appointments of permanent heads of the hospitals there should be 22 years of service length and post qualification, i.e. MPH, a professor should have two years of experience in administration. The staff hopes that the direction of the Supreme Court will be considered and implemented in letter and spirit,” he said.

He said in March 2023, he approached the Islamabad High Court for the implementation of the Supreme Court decision and service rules for the appointment of a regular ED. “Since then, I have been removed from the administration as a punishment and still facing persecution. I believe the appointment of a regular executive director (BPS-21) of Pims is the panacea for all ills in Pims,” he added.

According to Dr Saif, the staff has heard that the second meeting of the CSB was postponed, as the PPP also wanted to give input in appointments to important positions and a high-powered selection board was being considered.

“We demand that Oxford-graduate Bilawal Bhutto be included in the process of the promotion of senior officers by the HPSB to ensure transparency and meritocracy in the system,” he said.

In November, Pims doctors called for a permanent executive director from the administrative positions, saying that the cadre had been trained for the job.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2024