ISLAMABAD - Owing to bureaucratic inertia on the part of the concerned quarters seven major government hospitals in Pakistan are running without the permanent Executive Directors. The hospitals include Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Federal Government Polyclinic, National Institute of Health (NIH), National Institute for Child Health (NICH), Shiekh Zayed Hospital Lahore, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) Karachi and Shiekh Khalifa Bin Zayed Federal Hospital Quetta. According to well placed sources in the Ministry, Since departure of Dr Majeed Rajput, ex ED PIMS, the Health Ministry has failed to appoint a permanent head and the situation is same in other above mentioned institutions as the Executive Directors of these hospitals are either working on contractual basis or ad-hoc basis. While describing the reason for not appointing any permanent ED, he said, The huge corruption coupled with nepotism by the high ups in the Ministry of Health is the main hinder in appointing permanent head as every one wants to get his blue eyed to be appointed. If the concerned officials appoint the right man for the right job on permanent basis then there is no chance to make money, the official lamented. He further added that there are six posts of Assistant Directors in PIMS but on the four posts acting ADs are working as the actual ADs are associated with some other health organisations and programmes. Dr Zahid Larik, Assistant Director working in the Planning Wing of Health Ministry, Assistant Director Ijaz Qadir working in the TB control programme by the ministry, Assistant Director Zarif Uddin is associated with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and an NGO Paimaan whereas the Assistant Director Anjum Javed is on leaves. The official was of the view that corruption and favouritism is harming the progress of these institutions, and asked how any organisation can serve well in such circumstances.