SAHIWAL: After a yearlong investigation into alleged corruption in the development funds of the Sahiwal Teaching Hospital (STH) between financial years 201617 and 202324, five senior officials have been exonerated while three others have been awarded major penalties under the Peeda Act, 2006.

As per details, the funds were allocated after the 470-bed DHQ Hospital was merged into the Sahiwal Medical College and converted into the STH. A total of Rs2.805 billion was earmarked for the project, including Rs2.084 billion for the procurement of machinery in 2014-15.

After the irregularities came to light, a committee was formed on the direction of the Punjab chief minister and was led by Chief Minister’s Inspection Team (CMIT) Member Saqib Ateel, while another was constituted by Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department (SHC&ME) Secretary Azmat Mahmood under Additional Secretary (Finance) Ashfaqur Rehman.

The CMIT findings noted that senior hospital officials caused a loss of Rs48.16 million by failing to operationalise the laundry plant and CSSD plant and by not submitting installation reports of the equipment supplied by a Lahore-based company.

Both inquiries reported irregularities in the construction material used in the sixstorey surgical tower, procurement of heavy generators, and imported equipment for the pathology lab.

Both committees concluded that sufficient grounds existed to proceed against eight officials — six from the STH and two from the Punjab Communication and Works (C&W) department — under the Peeda Act and the Punjab Medical and Health Institution Rules, 2003. The inquiry examined alleged embezzlement and mismanagement of billions of rupees allocated under the Annual Development Plan (ADP).

Following the investigation, Prof Dr Imran Hasan Khan, Dr Akhter Mahboob, Dr Nisar Ahmed Saeedi, Dr Muhammad Aleem and Ahmed Bilal were cleared of charges. The probe, however, found three officials guilty of the charges, including Store Keeper Ali Safdar, C&W Executive Engineer Zulfiqar Ali Tabassum and C&W SDO Tariq Nadeem Shaikh. The penalties were imposed for failing to hand over the laundry plant completed in 2021 and for poor workmanship in the construction of the surgical tower.

Dawn learnt from sources that the store keeper had escaped abroad 10 months back and his whereabouts were unknown.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2026