PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health department has decided to appoint a new director-general health services in violation of the rules according to which such postings can be made from a panel of 10 senior most people, according to sources.

“In this case, the health minister has suggested transfer of director general health and posting of a junior doctor as his placement,” they said.

Sources said that a summary sent to the chief minister proposed the transfer of incumbent DG Health Dr Mohammad Ayub Rose and appointment of Dr Arshad Ahmad Khan, presently director-general Provincial Health Services Academy (PHSA), Peshawar, as his replacement.

Dr Ayub, a BPS-20 management cadre, will report to the DG health office for further posting. The summary, if approved, would amount to violation of rules as there was a set of rules for such appointments, they said.

Sources say removal of Dr Ayub Rose to tarnish image of ruling PTI

According to rules, DG health services should be appointed from a panel of 10 senior most BPS-20 officers of management cadre in the health department. “In this case, a doctor ranked on 18th position on seniority list has been proposed to be offered the top slot,” said sources.

They said that the incumbent DG health, appointed on November 21, 2017, was yet to complete his lawful tenure but the health minister proposed his removal and offered the slot to a junior person.

“The transfer of Dr Ayub Rose is a serious violation of the rules as well as merit because he has been elevated to the post following the prescribed criteria,” said sources. They said that Dr Ayub had to his credit research papers on the prevalence of diseases and other health problems as well as working on senior positions in the UN agencies.

He has also been instrumental in the reforms process of the government but his proposed replacement has sent a wave of resentment among the staff, which fears similar treatment.

The summary sent by health minister says that in accordance with the Health Management Service Rules 2008, the post of DG health is filled by transfer on the basis of selection on merit from amongst 10 senior most members in BPS-20. Moreover, as per rules, preference will be given to those having additional postgraduate, relevant qualification or specialised courses.

It says that the present DG health hasn’t completed his normal tenure on the post but the health minister has desired to replace him with another doctor of management cadre.

The summary, yet to be accorded approval by the government, states that Dr Arshad Ahmed working as DG PHSA was on the 18th position on seniority list since February 15, 2018 but he is the most suitable officer for the post of DG health services, KP.

The minister has pointed out that in line with schedule-III of KP Government Rules of Business 1985, the postings and transfers of the heads of the attached departments and other officers in BPS-19 and above in all departments would be made with the approval of the chief minister.

Therefore, the posting of Dr Arshad has been proposed to replace Dr Ayub as DG health in the public interest.

However, sources in the health department told Dawn that if that illegal appointment took place, it would tarnish the image of PTI government both in the province as well as at national level.

The party has been advocating merit in appointment but this is a classic case where for the first time a DG will get replaced by simple transfer as opposed to the previous record which shows that such position has always been filled from 10 senior most people.

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2018