Sindh DG Health terms his posting on merit

Karachi: DG Health Sindh Dr Hassan Murad Shah, who is close friend, former class fellow and room-mate in college life of Minister for Health Sindh Jam Mehtab Dahar, is posted as DG Sindh avoiding the basic service rules of Sindh Government and by-passing the 42 senior medical officers.
The DG Health Sindh, however, rejected this charge saying he was appointed in accordance with rules. But sources of Health Department told The News that the minister pressurised department’s secretary for the posting of his friend as DG. Murad Shah said the minister has many friends in the department including him and there was no pressure by the minister in his case.
The sources claimed in response to minister’s pressure, former secretary Health Iqbal Durrani sent a summary, copy available with ‘The News’, for the posting on that vacancy to chief secretary Sindh and chief minister along with the seniority list, proposing three most senior medical officers Dr Muhammad Nafees Qureshi, Dr Irfanullah Qureshi and Dr (Capt) Javed Ali Shaikh of Sindh Heath Department to be posted as Director General Health Sindh.
In that summary the secretary health mentioning the alleged plan of the minister clarified the lawful and factual position also.But surprisingly Chief Secretary Sindh Sajjad Saleem Hotiana avoided the proposal of the secretary health and accepted minister’s proposal.
The minister also transferred the Secretary Health Iqbal Durani, who resisted the unlawful order.DG Health Dr Hassan Murad Shah told The News that he was friend and class fellow of the minister but his posting was according to the merit as he was in grade 20. Shah added that there are many class fellows and friends of the minister in the department.
Murad Shah avoided replying to the question regarding the summary of the former secretary health and his 43rd position in seniority list.This reporter tried to contact Minister for Health Jam Mehtab Dhar, Chief Secretary Sindh Sajjad Saleem Hotiana and Secretary General Administration Abdul Kabir Kazi; called at their official numbers and cell numbers, sent them text messages but all avoided responding on the issue.
A request for the official version was also sent through fax to the chief secretary Sindh at his official fax number and residential fax number for the official version but no response received despite the passage of several days.Also the same request for official version sent to media consultant of the chief minister Sindh through e-mail could not get any response.