KARACHI: Disposing of two identical petitions filed against procurement of robotic surgical systems for government health facilities at exaggerated prices, the Sindh High Court on Thursday said that the issue about such procurements has already been brought to the notice of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The SHC also noted that the procurement process has been completed since the surgical machines have been installed at the relevant hospitals and thereafter, the main prayers advanced by petitioner have essentially become infructuous.

A two-judge constitutional bench headed by Justice Yousuf Ali Sayeed further observed that whether such machines were acquired at inflated prices or not cannot be conclusively determined within the contours of the constitutional jurisdiction of the SHC.

It advised that the petitioner is at liberty to pursue his complaint before the federal anti-graft watchdog and in the event of inaction he may avail appropriate remedy in accordance with law.

Citing the chief secretary, health secretary, two private firms and others as respondents, petitioner Khawar Mehmood Afridi had filed both petitions in 2024 alleging that they had embezzled government funds through illegal and irregular contracts allegedly awarded for supply of robotic surgical items for the Liaquat University Hospital (LUH) and other health facilities at inflated prices as compared to the prevailing market prices.

The petitioner pleaded for cancellation of the entire process of procurement, and sought directives for official respondents to purchase essential machinery and equipment for upgradation of various public medical facilities.

The bench in its order said that the petitions pertained to procurement of robotic surgical machines at government hospitals and the main grievance of the petitioner, who purported to have come forward in public interest, was that such procurements have taken place at exaggerated prices resulting in loss to the exchequer.

It also said: “As it transpires, an application / representation has already been made in the case of one of those procurements to the DG NAB. Today, we have also been informed that the procurement processes have been completed, with the machines having been received, installed and commissioned at the relevant hospitals. Under such circumstances, it appears that the prayers advanced by the petitioner have essentially become infructuous”.

The bench further noted that the question of whether such machines were procured at exaggerated / inflated prices was also one of facts, which cannot be conclusively determined in the constitutional jurisdiction.

“Under such circumstances, the petitions stand disposed of, leaving the petitioner at liberty to pursue his complaint before the concerned anti-graft agency and in the event of inaction thereon, to avail the appropriate remedy in accordance with law,” it added.

Earlier, the petitioner had also asserted that the subject items having a value shown in the import papers as $37,500 per piece was intended to be purchased by the Sindh government at a cost of more than $1.5 million and thus the supplier was intending to earn a profit of more than 1,500 per cent.

He further contended that the cost of the subject robotic surgical systems was very low as compared to the tender offered by the alleged successful bidder and However, the medical superintendent of LUH, one of the respondents in the petitions, in comments asserted that the price of robotic surgical systems was announced by the provincial government after completion of codal formalities.

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2026