KHYBER: The provincial government has sent a request to federal government for initiating an inquiry against a lady doctor, who is head of coronavirus prevention medical establishment at Torkham border and also looks after the Pak-Afghan Dosti Hospital at the border, for her alleged involvement in corruption.

Sources said that action was initiated against Dr Kashmala Orakzai after the surfacing of a video a few days ago in which she was seen along with a ‘broker’ seeking bribe from an Afghan couple for medical treatment in Peshawar.

A senior official of the health department confirmed that federal government was looking into the matter.

In the video, Dr Kashmala was seen refuse some cash amount given to her by the Afghans and then agreeing to accept Rs8,000 from the ‘broker’ along with a promise for a new mobile phone to let the Afghan couple proceed to Peshawar for treatment.

Dr Kashmala rejects allegation, accuses local ‘broker’ of blackmail

Reacting to the video after it went viral on social media, the general secretary of Insaf Doctors Forum approached the chief minister for taking disciplinary action against the doctor.

Sources said that Dr Kashmala was assigned the task to check the coronavirus symptoms among the Afghan nationals coming to Pakistan via Torkham but she instead trespassed on her authority and started questioning all ailing Afghans to demand money for allowing them to go to Peshawar for treatment.

Reacting to the video, Dr Kashmala said in an audio message that she was blackmailed by the local broker. She insisted that she in fact wanted to buy a new mobile phone set which was cheaper in Afghanistan and she wanted the local broker to bring it for her from across the border.

She said that in the recent past she refused entry of three young Afghans to Pakistan as they had dubious credentials. She said that the local broker was pressing her to allow those Afghans to enter Pakistan.

“When I refused to oblige the local broker’s request for allowing the three suspect Afghans to enter Pakistan, he along with his nephew made this video of mine to blackmail me,” said Dr Kashmala.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2021