KARACHI: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has made important progress in an ongoing probe over alleged corruption in funds at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD).
During the probe, it has been revealed that employees of the National Institute of Cardiology (NICVD) in Karachi have been given packages of up to Rs 6 million.
NAB asked various questions to Dr. Pervez Chaudhry regarding NICVD. Regarding female doctors, Dr. Pervez Chaudhry, while making various revelations, said, “Those who do not have a bachelor’s degree are getting a salary of Rs. 1800,000 in NICVD”.
Prof. Nadeem Qamar, Executive Director, NICVD, turned out to be the most expensive government official in Sindh. Professor Nadeem Qamar is also the real brother of PPP leader Naveed Qamar.
Regarding Prof. Nadeem Qamar, Dr. Pervez Chaudhry said that he appointed Azra Maqsood as the CEO of NICVD. The officer who took the first package of Rs. 1,000,000 was given a package of Rs. 2 crores per annum. Azra Maqsood, the chief executive who took the Rs 2 million package, also has no experience of running a hospital, he disclosed.
It also disclosed that blue-eyed officers were being given huge salaries up to Rs 2 million each in the funded hospital. It emerged that Haider Awan is drawing Rs1.8 million salary from the government-run hospital through pay-order.
The anti-corruption watchdog issued call-up notices to five NICVD officers besides seeking records of 26 other officers including the head of the human resources department and chief operating officer (COO).
According to the NAB, academic records and professional experience details have been sought from the hospital’s chief operating officer (COO), whereas, a set of ‘eight questions’ was handed over to the accused persons regarding their salaries and recruitment details.
The investigators proceed with its probe into alleged embezzlement of funds in light of the ‘eight questions’ which aims to get details of academic and professional certificates, as well as salaries.
Haider Awan is also facing charges of being a ghost employee and working as the frontman of an influential personality, sources said.
