islamabad - The administration of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) yesterday wrote a letter to Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) to conduct the audit of alleged financial mismanagement.

The Senate Committee on Cabinet Secretariat in its meeting held on Tuesday last ordered an investigation into alleged financial mismanagement and corruption at the PIMS after some issues related to a failed liver transplantation, tampered vehicles and stealing of breast cancer equipment were raised in the meeting.

Talking to The Nation yesterday, Vice Chancellor Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU) Javed Akram said the failed transplant was performed seven years before he took the charge of the hospital.

“An inquiry has been initiated on the issue; however the doctor involved in the transplant is out of the country,” he said.

He said the stolen equipment of the breast cancer treatment was not the property of PIMS. “The equipment was installed by a Lahore-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) on private level so it was not the responsibility of the administration,” he said.

The VC told The Nation that administration has no objection on any kind of inquiry in this regard and a copy of letter written to AGP has been also sent to the Senate committee.

He also declared the allegations of confiscated vehicles from customs as baseless. “The administration purchased the tempered vehicles from the customs department at low price,” he said.

He said it is not illegal for a government department to purchase such vehicles at reserved prices from Customs. “The purchased vehicles are being used as ambulances in the hospital,” added the VC.

The Senate committee was informed on Tuesday that failed liver transplant had cost Rs 480 million. And stolen breast cancer treatment machine had cost Rs 3.6 million while alleged embezzlement was also discussed in purchasing the hospital vehicles.

Chairman Committee Senator Talha Mehmood had said that he will forward the case of financial embezzlement to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) while other members gave a nod to him.

The VC said the failed transplant incident occurred before his assuming the charge of the hospital. He said the hospital administration has no objection on any kind of inquiry and it has called the AGP for the audit. He said the audit on all claimed allegations will help in making things transparent.