December 09, 2007	Sunday	Ziqa'ad 28, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Dec 8: The acting Executive Director of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Dr Ghazala Mehmood is running a private clinic in an illegally occupied government accommodation, sources told Dawn here on Saturday.

They said that the house, located in G-6, was allotted to ED’s spouse Ali Mehmood, former secretary, ministry of social welfare in 1992. However, he resigned from the post in August 2007.

Then the house was allotted to another senior government official, but Mr Mehmood is still occupying the residence, they said.

The sources said that Mr Mehmood already owned a house in a posh F-10/3 where he along with his family lived. He left the government accommodation at the disposal of his wife, who had made it a private clinic.

When contacted ED Ghazala Mehmood on her residence phone, located at F-11/1, she was not available as she had left for Karachi.

However, Ali Mehmood told Dawn that his wife was running a private clinic with the permission of the ministry of housing.

According to the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council rules a government official can do private practice in official residence for two hours daily, he added.

“The house located at F-10/3 belongs to my mother and she lives there,” Ali Mehmood added.

He said he was retired from the government job as he developed some differences with the minister of social welfare in 2005, over an illegal appointment of a woman on Rs60,000 per day. The minister kicked him out from the ministry and made officer on special duty.