ISLAMABAD: After almost six weeks having passed since the fire incident, the capital’s largest hospital Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) got a new executive director (ED) and joint executive director (JED).

However, the notifications raised eye brows as the charge of ED has been given to an officer who has passed his age of superannuation while the JED’s charge has been given to a contractual employee who has been working in the hospital for the last over one year.

It is worth mentioning here that after the fire incident at Pims in which 14 newborn babies had died on August 26 and later the 15th baby also passed away, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had taken notice and suspended as many as eight officers. The charge of ED was given to Dr Mohammad Salman who is also head of the National Institute of Health (NIH).

According to two notifications, available with Dawn, in pursuance of the directives of the Prime Minister’s Office, Prof Dr Tanwir Khaliq currently posted as vice chancellor, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU), Islamabad has been assigned the additional charge of the post of executive director (BPS-21), Pims, in addition to his own duties for a period of three months or till the availability of regular incumbent of the post, whichever is earlier.

“The officer will be entitled to draw additional remuneration as admissible under the rules. Dr. Mohammad Salman presently working as executive director (BPS-21), Pims, Islamabad is hereby repatriated to his parent department and directed to resume his duties on same positions in NIH, Islamabad with immediate effect,” the notification reads.

The second notification states: “With the approval of the competent authority i.e. Secretary, Ministry of Health, Prof. Dr. Brig. (Retd.) Azmat Hayat, Professor of Electrophysiology, Pims, Islamabad is hereby assigned additional charge of the post of Joint Executive Director (BPS-20/Medical), Pims, in addition to his own duties for a period of three months or till the availability of regular incumbent of the post, whichever is earlier. The officer will be entitled to draw additional remuneration as admissible under the rules.”

A senior doctor of the hospital, wishing not to be named, said Dr Tanwir Khaliq had retired almost six years ago. “Now additional charge of the hospital head has been given to him. We (doctors) cannot understand that how he will handle two jobs,” he asked.

“Prof. Dr. Brig. (Retd.) Azmat Hayat was working in Pims as a contractual employee in MP-II scale. Now he has got the position of JED in the hospital. I don’t remember if a contractual employee got such position in the past,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2026