by: Nadeem.chaudhary
ISLAMABAD: A formal complaint has been submitted to Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal and the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission, seeking an independent inquiry and forensic audit into alleged financial irregularities, procurement manipulation and misuse of public funds in the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response Project at the National Institute of Health.
The matter is sensitive because the IDSR project is linked with disease surveillance, laboratory capacity and public health preparedness. The complainant has claimed that if public health funds are misused or mishandled, it may affect not only government money but also the health security of the people.
According to the complaint filed by citizen Muhammad Rizwan Khan, serious allegations have been raised against project officials regarding procurement processes, tendering, equipment purchases, laboratory renovation, construction contracts, trainings, logistics, data collection services and maintenance arrangements.
The complaint alleges that IDSR Project Director Dr. Ali Rehman and Haris Qureshi, described in the complaint as a suspended Procurement Officer, exercised undue influence over procurement and administrative matters during the last two years.
These allegations have not been independently verified by any official inquiry so far, and no final finding has been issued by the competent authority.
The complaint claims that some tenders were allegedly prepared in a way that could favour selected vendors through tailor made specifications and restrictive conditions.
It further alleges that genuine competition was discouraged and that some preferred firms repeatedly benefited from procurement decisions.
The complainant has also claimed that some stakeholders and officials who questioned procurement decisions allegedly faced pressure, exclusion or intimidation.
The petition states that these allegations, if proven through an independent inquiry, could raise serious questions about transparency, public procurement rules and the use of public funds.
The complaint also mentions concerns about laboratory renovation projects, procurement of laboratory equipment, NHDC upgradation, data collection services and other expenditures under the project.
The complainant has requested the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission and the Ministry of National Health Services to order an immediate independent and transparent inquiry into all procurement and financial activities of the IDSR project.
The petition has also requested a forensic audit of contracts, tenders, procurement records, laboratory renovation work, equipment purchases and maintenance agreements.
It has further requested temporary removal of any official whose continued presence may influence or obstruct an impartial inquiry.
The complainant has also asked authorities to examine the relationships between project officials, consultants, contractors and vendors who benefited from project expenditures.
The petition also seeks protection for whistleblowers and individuals who may be willing to provide evidence or testimony before an inquiry forum.
The complaint further alleges that certain private companies were given access to sensitive health related data through connections involving Haris Qureshi. One company named in the complaint is Elephant Healthcare.
The complaint also refers to publicly available information about Elephant Healthcare’s foreign funding and investors. However, these claims have not been verified by any official authority, and the company’s position on the matter was not available in the complaint.
Separately, information attached with the complaint states that Elephant Healthcare had worked with the Federal Government’s Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination on digitising primary health facilities in Islamabad Capital Territory for Universal Health Coverage.
According to the attached information, the project was launched in May 2022 and five primary healthcare facilities, including two Family Welfare Centres, were digitised.
The complainant has argued that every rupee allocated to public health projects belongs to the people and should be used with full transparency.
The petition says that Pakistan is already facing serious economic challenges and that misuse of funds meant for healthcare would damage public trust in government institutions.
The complaint has been addressed to the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission and copied to the Special Secretary to the Prime Minister, Chairman SIFC and Federal Minister for Health.
When contacted for his version, Haris Qureshi did not provide any response till the filing of this story.
No official statement had been issued by the Ministry of National Health Services or the NIH administration regarding the allegations till the filing of this report.
It is important to note that all allegations mentioned in the complaint remain allegations at this stage. Any responsibility or wrongdoing can only be determined through a lawful, independent and transparent inquiry by the competent authorities.
