Dera Ghazi Khan  -  A BS-1 employee acts like the health secretary Punjab and the officers across Dera Ghazi Khan have to give VIP protocol to him due to his links with the influential officialdom especially in the Health Secretariat Punjab.

A head nurse of Teaching Hospital DG Khan Farhat Shaheen has fallen victim to his highhandedness as she has been facing an inquiry under PEEDA Act-2006 by Govt of The Punjab, Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education Department Lahore. She is facing the allegations of using a fake/bogus order No SO (NC-I) 303/2015 dated 12 October 2017, for her one year ex-Pakistan leave for studying MSc (Nursing) in China.

She stated during her hearing before Inquiry Officer/Director Law Sarfraz Ahmad on her study leave order from Health Secretariat that she had given Rs50,000 to Ghulam Shabir who is a sanitary patrol at Rural Health Centre Shah Sadar Din (DG Khan) and an agent of a bargaining mafia of health department Lahore for such types orders. However, she said, he provided her with a fake and bogus order, like an original one with the official embossing seal affixed on it.

She availed her study leave and went to China for higher studies in October-2017 but when she came to know that her study leave order was fake, she left her studies at China and came back to Pakistan to face the inquiry. Her bright future and regular government job is now at risk of termination due to the health department black sheep.

"I could not have imagined he would issue fake or bogus order. It is the responsibility of those at the helms of the affairs to save applicants like me from black sheep like Ghulam Shabir who exploits such situation. "I am victim of fraud that a black sheep committed against me," said Farhat Shaheen.

Talking to The Nation, RHC Medical Officer Shah Sadar Din Dr Muhammad Ali said Ghulam Shabir was posted as sanitary patrol (BS-1) at the hospital but he did not know his whereabouts.

To a question, Dr Ali said that more than seven months had passed but he never saw him at the hospital nor had an official intimation about him, nor his official service record was available at the hospital.

When approached, District Officer Health Human Resource (HR) Dr Malik Riaz said that he was completely unaware of the presence of Ghulam Shabir. He made so many lame excuses about it.  However, he pledged that he would take strict action against his long absence from duty.

However, Health Authority Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Shahid Hussain Magsi asked about his long absence from the duty from the officials concerned, and ordered immediate stoppage of his salary. The CEO also ordered regular inquiry into the allegations. It was also revealed at the DOH HR office and CEO Health office DG Khan that his personal file, service book or any other official record was not available.

An officer of health department on request of anonymity disclosed that Ghulam Shabir had never performed his duty at the hospital. "Though he belongs to DG Khan but he stays at Lahore. Presently, he is serving as personal servant in the house of a Punjab secretary. He is enjoying an official room in a government building at Lahore. That is why local health administration has never taken action against him. He is an agent of Health Secretariat Punjab's corrupt officers who issue all kinds of fake orders with official embossing seal after striking a deal," he said.

The officer also said that mostly Ghulam Shabir blackmailed the female staff as well as local administrative officers on behalf of Health Secretariat Punjab, Lahore. He (Ghulam Shabir) also forced local officers for sanction/approval of illegal medical reimbursements bills worth hundreds of thousands of rupees, he said. He is an employee of BS-1 but he orders the local administration like a secretary; and no one can take action against him, maintained the officer.

Another source in Lahore disclosed that he was residing in a luxury room situated in the main office of the Board of Revenue. The source also said that he blackmailed the Lahore-based medical stores owners and extorted money from them. Whosoever refuses to do so, he gets his medical store sealed by complaining about minor issues, he concluded.

Sikander Haider