The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has exposed a massive corruption scandal involving PKR 3.1 billion in medicine procurement. An inquiry committee led by Brigadier (Retd) Musaddiq Abbasi revealed these serious financial irregularities in its report.
The investigation found that health department officials embezzled PKR 1.7 billion, while pharmaceutical companies took PKR 1.2 billion without delivering the medicines. The provincial government received medicine worth only PKR 20 million, a mere fraction of the total purchase amount.
Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has taken swift action, approving strict measures against 12 senior officials. Ten officials, including former Director General Health Dr. Shaukat Ali, have been dismissed from service. Two officials have been suspended with departmental proceedings initiated against them. The government has ordered the recovery of PKR 17 million from each accused officer.
Legal action has also been ordered against the pharmaceutical companies involved in the scandal. The Chief Minister emphasized that his zero-tolerance policy against corruption remains in force, and no leniency will be shown to those who misuse public funds.
This scandal serves as clear evidence of corruption in the health sector during the caretaker government’s term, causing billions in losses to the provincial treasury. The government has vowed to bring all those involved to justice.
