PESHAWAR: The Medical Teaching Institution (MTI) Mardan has entered a decisive new phase after more than a year of political interference and administrative paralysis, as the tenure of four controversial board members expired in August 2025.
In its longest meeting to date, the Board of Governors (BoG) approved sweeping reforms, revived stalled accountability inquiries, and sanctioned major projects to restore professional leadership and expand patient care.
The people of Mardan had long waited for state of the art services at the MMC, particularly when it was declared as MTI.Also, they had great expectations from the present BoG, headed by Prof Dr Arshad Javaid, but some negative role of the board members derailed the process.
The institution, comprising Bacha Khan Medical College (BKMC) and Mardan Medical Complex (MMC), had launched a reform drive in early 2024 under Chairman Prof Dr Arshad Javaid. Merit-based appointments, strict biometric monitoring, and expansion into new specialties including nephrology, neurology, urology, endocrinology, cardiac surgery, and interventional cardiology quickly transformed service delivery, raising institutional-based practice (IBP) from 14,000 to 24,000 patients per month within six months.
Academic progress matched clinical gains, with the Journal of Bacha Khan Medical College earning Higher Education Commission recognition and the institution hosting its first national undergraduate research fair. That progress was derailed in December 2024 when four members, allegedly politically connected, regained entry to the BoG and moved to remove the hospital director and the medical director.
Their actions, seen as retaliation over inquiries into irregularities in the hospital canteen contract and misuse of resources, plunged the institution into administrative paralysis until their tenure ended in August 2025.
Despite disruption, MTI achieved notable milestones, including operationalizing a cardiac catheterization laboratory where hundreds of angioplasties were performed, launching a Medical ICU, and filling long-standing faculty gaps in anesthesiology and cardiology.
The turning point came on August 25, when the BoG convened a marathon 12-hour meeting, the longest in its history and took landmark decisions. Officiating directors were replaced, with Dr Sajjad Ali appointed Hospital Director and Dr Naeem ul Haq as Medical Director.
The dean was relieved of the additional charge of Project Director of Benazir Bhutto Children’s Hospital to streamline responsibilities. The BoG approved two major infrastructure schemes: expansion of the Outpatient Department and construction of a dedicated Cardiac Surgery Ward to meet rising demand.
Equally significant was the revival of long-stalled inquiries into embezzlement at Benazir Bhutto Children’s Hospital, irregularities in the canteen contract, and the alleged illegal appointment and promotion of the secretary BoG. Also, the BoG approved the suspension of the secretary BoG.
Officials said the Board’s decisions underscored that transparency and accountability would once again guide MTI’s governance.The BoG also praised MTI’s financial performance, as revenue rose to Rs. 500 million in 2024-25, an increase of Rs100 million from the previous year.
Strengthening the Hospital Management Information System (HMIS), upgrading IT infrastructure, and reviewing the HR manual were identified as priorities to align policies with modern governance standards.
With professional leadership restored and inquiries reopened, MTI Mardan is now positioned to rebuild reform momentum, expand specialised services, and strengthen academic programmes. The past year highlighted the clash between reform and politics, but stakeholders now view the institution as having turned a decisive corner toward renewed progress.