PESHAWAR: The health department has issued show cause notices to two officers for ‘possessing fake educational degrees and not getting themselves registered with the regulator, Pakistan Medical Commission.

It warned that if the two, including Mardan deputy district health officer Dr Ikramullah Safi and Mohmand medical officer Dr Mohammad Kabir, failed to respond to the notices, they would be sacked.

The decision comes on the directives of Chief Minister Mahmood Khan following separate inquiries.

The department is currently verifying educational documents of its employees.

The health department said the show cause notices had been issued to the two officers under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 2011, on the completion of inquiries, which found the two officers to be recruited on fake documents.

Dept issues show cause notices to Dr Kabir, Dr Ikramullah

It added that it had decided to impose penalty of the ‘Removal from Service’ tentatively on both officers and asked them show cause as to why they should not be dismissed from service permanently.

The two were asked to inform the department if they wanted to be heard in person.

“If this notice isn’t responded within seven to 15 days of its delivery, it shall be presumed that you have no defence to put for yourself, and in that case, ex-parte action shall be taken against you,” the department said in the notice.

Both the doctors were appointed on contractual basis in 2016 and were later regularised under the relevant law.

Sources in the health department said many doctors claimed to have degrees from abroad and therefore, they got themselves appointed.

They said several inquiries were under way against the employees with suspected degrees.

The officials said those found to be carrying fake degree would be sacked, while the employees who facilitated their appointments would be dealt with strictly.

They said more than 1,000 doctors were appointed on contractual jobs in 2020 but currently 550 of them were in the service as all others were terminated for doing dual jobs.

The officials said some were trainee medical officers in teaching hospitals and worked as ad hoc medical officers in the health department simultaneously.

They said from time to time, the department scrutinised appointments and those found with double jobs were shown the door and that more than 120 doctors were removed on that count.

When contacted, health secretary Mohammad Tahir Orakzai said inquiries against Dr Ikramullah and Dr Kabir were conducted by the provincial inspection team, governor’s inspection team and health department, which found their educational certificates to be fake.

He said the health department had started verification of the degrees of all suspected employees and would take strict action against those involved in the forgery of documents.

“We have initiated several inquiries to find out illegal appointments, postings and transfers, and documents, and in light of those findings, legal action will be taken which may include dismissal from service, recovery of the salary paid, and referring of cases to the relevant authorities for action,” he said.

The secretary said the department had 80,000 employees, which included regular ones, project employees and ad hoc ones.

“We are striving to streamline our human resources. Dual jobs and fake posting and transfer orders in the department need investigation to ensure the deployment of qualified people where needed. Such employees will be blacklisted for any future job,” he said.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2022