PESHAWAR: Amid controversy about the position of the director general health services, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health department has declared that the incumbent, Dr Mohammad Saleem Khan, will stay put due to his predecessor’s failure to get stay order from the service tribunal against his transfer.

The tribunal had ruled on Oct 22 that if the health department’s order for the transfer of former DG Dr Shaukat Ali had yet not been acted upon, it stood suspended, according to a health official.

He told Dawn that the services tribunal’s ruling was clear and self-executing, so Dr Shaukat couldn’t be restored to the DG’s post.

The official said that the tribunal’s decision clearly suggested that if the contested transfer had been executed, then its (tribunal’s) temporary injunction issued over the main appeal of Dr Shaukat would be ineffective, so the existing DG would continue to hold his position.

It insists service tribunal hasn’t ordered removal of Dr Saleem

Official sources claimed that the health department issued the clarification about the DG’s position after the incumbent, Dr Saleem, formally approached the health secretary on Oct 22, 2024, insisting that he assumed the charge of the office after being posted by the chief minister on May 16, 2024.

In an application, titled “Incident Report” and filed with the secretary’s office, Dr Saleem claimed that he was attending a meeting of the provincial task force on polio eradication at the office of the chief secretary when his staff members informed him that his predecessor, Dr Shaukat, forced his entry to his office and occupied his chair in a move, which was without any lawful authority or government’s notification.

He added that the former DG was under scrutiny and faced inquiries over irregularities, misconduct and corrupt practices.

Dr Saleem also said that his predecessor pressured his supporting staff in “connivance with one of the additional director-generals and some private persons and signed the charge assumption report by force.”

He said the “illegal attack and harassment of staff and officers by Dr Shaukat at my office are gross misconduct, inefficiency and unlawful actions against my office.”

The DG urged the health secretary to initiate legal action against his predecessor for the illegal acts.

Dr Shaukat, a BPS-20 management cadre officer, was made DG (health services) on Jan 17 last year but was suspended on April 26, 2024, on the charge of corruption before being replaced with Dr Saleem, the then chief executive officer of the Faculty of Paramedics and Allied Health Science, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Dr Saleem, a BPS-20 management cadre officer, has held key management positions at the Provincial Health Services Academy, Postgraduate Paramedical Institute and other public sector organisations.

He was selected as DG from a panel of three senior doctors.

Official sources said that the health department had formally informed the service tribunal in the case that Dr Saleem was appointed as the DG (health services) in May after the removal of Dr Shaukat.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2024