Tribunal upholds hospital director’s suspension

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Medical Teaching Institution (MTI) Appellate Tribunal has upheld the suspension and relieving of the acting Hospital Director of Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad.

In its ruling, the tribunal ordered the recovery of millions of rupees from the hospital’s Board of Governors (BoG) chairman, members, and other officials for unlawfully extending the official’s tenure and paying him additional salaries.

The tribunal, led by Chairman Justice (R) Abdul Shakoor and member Mansoor Tariq, issued the verdict on an appeal filed by Dr Athar Lodhi, who was appointed Hospital Director on December 5, 2023.

According to the appellant’s legal team, Dr Lodhi, a senior officer in Grade-21 under the management cadre, was relieved of his post on July 23, 2024, and subsequently suspended on July 27, 2024, pending an inquiry.

His lawyers argued that the BoG meeting in which the decision was made was invalid, as it was convened after the resignation of the then-chairman, rendering the proceedings illegal. They requested the tribunal to declare the suspension and inquiry void.

However, counsel for the hospital administration, Barrister Ibrahim Khan Afridi, contended that the meeting was a special session convened in accordance with legal quorum requirements. He maintained that the director faced allegations of negligence, misuse of authority, and financial irregularities, which warranted a formal inquiry.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the tribunal ruled that the BoG meeting was legally convened and that the suspension was a temporary measure during the inquiry phase. It noted that the matter had not yet been decided conclusively, and the investigation must proceed under the Ayub Teaching Hospital Efficiency and Disciplinary Regulations, 2023. The tribunal emphasized that Dr Lodhi should be given full opportunity to defend himself and prove his innocence.

Invoking Rule 25 of the MTI Tribunal Rules 2020, the tribunal authorized the additional secretary of the MTI Health Department to identify and recover salaries paid illegally to the acting hospital director during his extended, unauthorised tenure. The recovery is to be made by all responsible officers, regardless of whether they have retired, been dismissed, or completed their term as BoG members or chairpersons.