By Asif Chaudhry
LAHORE: The Punjab health and population department has launched a high-level investigation into a complaint by the Military Intelligence (MI), an intelligence branch of the army, against six private firms for allegedly using ‘political influence’ to obtain contracts in five public healthcare facilities of south Punjab.
The health department launched the probe after the MI pointed out that these firms’ volume of business had reached “Rs2 billion in just four years (2020-24)”.
As per sources, the firms, owned by an ex-chairman of a union council of Multan, reportedly earned an estimated amount of Rs40 million per month in four years. The unusual earnings by these firms alerted the agency and prompted investigations by the Punjab government.
“The undersigned has been directed to probe into the matter and furnish a fact-finding report by the Punjab health & population department vide a letter issued by the Military Intelligence (MI) Lahore Cantt, against the ex-chairman of the union council of Multan, who was identified [for being involved] in illegal activities (corruption, misuse of political influence, managing of government officials posting) in the grab of medical business/political cover,” reads a departmental letter.
MI alerts Punjab government about contracts awarded by five public health facilities of south Punjab
The letter has been issued by the Director Health Services, Bahawalpur Division, who is appointed as inquiry officer (IO) by the department.
The IO sought official records from the relevant authorities of the five government healthcare facilities pertaining to the contracts obtained by the six private firms.
The letter was addressed to the medical superintendents (MSs) of the Nishtar Hospital, the Multan, the Institute of Cardiology, Dera Ggazi Khan, and the chief executive officers (CEOs) of the district health authorities (DHAs) of Multan, Muzaffargarh and DG Khan.
The addressees have also been directed to appear before the IO along with complete purchase record pertaining to the contracts awarded to these private firms.
The complaint says that these firms got multiple contracts from the marked government healthcare facilities, allegedly by ‘exploiting influence of a leading political leader of the region, who is also a member of the National Assembly (MNA) from Multan’.
The letter further points out that a security contract of Nishtar Medical University, Nisthar Hospital and Nishtar Hospital-II, Multan, were also awarded to the brother of the ex-chairman of the UC for three consecutive years.
While highlighting violations of laws, the official letter also mentioned that the security contract was initially awarded for a period of one year, but the firms’ owner, using his political influence, would managed to get it renewed every year.
A senior official privy to the information says that health department was suggested to treat the the matter as priority and also grill the political figures involved in the scam for their alleged role in award of the.
Quoting the latest reports, he says, the heads of the government health facilities involved in the matter have joined the investigations and submitted the relevant record to the IO.
The inquiry proceedings are being expedited in order to initiate action in the light of its findings, the official added.
Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2025