Under new law, NAB to probe DG Khan hospital scam accused

LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Multan, has barred the Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) director general (DG) from taking action or investigating officials of the Dera Ghazi Khan teaching/DHQ hospital in a corruption case as the case stands restored in the light of a Supreme Court judgement.

According to documents available with The News, the NAB Multan had written a letter to the ACE DG for transferring the investigation from the NAB to ACE on August 8, 2023. The case was transferred to the ACE by NAB Multan, as the Supreme Court passed a judgement on NAB amendments laws. As a result, the case was restored and the NAB will investigate and take action against the officials.

The documents said the NAB had investigated the case under the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance (NAO) 1999 on allegations of corruption and misuse of authority in the purchase of medicines in hospital from 2016 to 2019.

According to the application submitted to the NAB, during 2018-19, more than Rs330 million had been withdrawn from the national treasure in two months and Rs200 million were given to medicine companies. During the period, Rs50.25 million via tenders and Rs130 million by quotations/pending liabilities were taken out by the health officials. Accused Nazar Hussain, allegedly had many frontmen who opened drug companies. He allegedly accommodated them in sale and purchase. Furthermore, Dr Attiq, Nazar and Zia Ullah had been suspended by the ex-commissioner over the misuse of authority by appointing their relatives in the hospital. Earlier, the complainant, Muhammad Hussain Azad, had challenged the case in the NAB headquarters again, contending the case was not less than Rs500 million and the NAB headquarters should investigate it rather than sending it to its regional office or ACE.