DERA GHAZI KHAN, Aug 17: An accountant of the district health department has been accused of embezzling Rs1.5 million from the money the department received for distribution among its staff as extra allowance.

The Punjab government announced 30 per cent extra allowance for grade 1-17 staff of the health department under its health sector reforms programme and gave the DG Khan health department Rs3 million for disbursement till June.

Sources said that some employees of district health department received their extra allowance with a 50 per cent cut, while most of them got nothing.

Sources said that an accountant, who had the additional charge of executive district officer (EDO) for health and district health officer (DHO), embezzled the money instead of distributing among the staff.

Abdul Sattar, who is a dispenser at the Ara Jaafar Basic Health Unit, said several health department employees in tribal areas and Taunsa Sharif had not been given the allowance.

The accountant said some people might not have received the allowance, but it did not mean that he had embezzled the money. He said he could not explain why some people could not get the allowance.

Health EDO Pervaiz Haider Altaf said only DHO could seek explanation from the accountant or investigate the matter.

DHO Sultan Leghari said the accountant was working under the EDO and only he could say if he (the accountant) was involved in embezzlement. However, he said he would investigate the matter on his own.