ISLAMABAD: A ‘fake’ doctor was arrested from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims). He had been practicing in the hospital for the last six months.

During initial investigation it was revealed that two postgraduates (PGs) of the hospital had hired the ‘fake’ doctor, who was basically a vendor of medicines and instruments, to do night duties for them.

Pims management has not only registered an FIR against the ‘fake’ doctor with the Karachi Company police but also constituted an inquiry committee to see how many other fake doctors are doing practice in the hospital.

According to a notification of the hospital issued on Sept 26, a non-doctor was performing duties as doctor in plastic surgery department. He was handed over to the police.

“He revealed during his statement to the police that he was performing the night shift duties for postgraduates for the last many months and charging Rs400 to Rs500 per night,” it stated.

The notification said a three-member inquiry committee, headed by Prof Tanvir Khaliq, has been constituted to probe into the matter and both postgraduates have been suspended for six months from the training.

Meanwhile, Registrar of the Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Medical University Prof Dr Nadeem Akhtar has also suspended the two postgraduates till completion of the inquiry.

According to the FIR, the ‘fake’ doctor has been arrested and further investigation is going on.

Executive Director Pims Dr Raja Amjad while talking to Dawn confirmed that the ‘fake’ doctor had been arrested and both the PGs had been suspended for six months.

“I have around 4,000 PGs so it is very difficult to ensure that every PG is on duty. However, on Wednesday I held a meeting with PGs and sought their cooperation to get such practices stopped,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2018