PESHAWAR: Hayatabad Medical Complex has directed the executive officers to refrain from communicating or approaching any other department on internal matters without seeking permission from the board of governors.

A notification issued to the dean, medical director and hospital director (HD), managers and head of the departments at the HMC and Khyber Girls Medical College said that all top managers, executives, officers and employees shall refrain from directly communicating, corresponding or approaching any external agency or department on matters relating to the institution without specific authorisation of the BoG or the competent authority.

“All official communication with external agencies/departments, including any submission, correspondence, reply or communication before any court of law shall be routed through the chairman or secretary BoG who shall serve as the appropriate institutional communication channel to and from the BoG,” it said.

According to it, the mechanism is intended to ensure that all information communicated is accurate, factual, consistent and duly authorised, after proper review and consideration by the competent authority and that no individual shall bypass the established institutional communication channel or communicate, correspond or make any submission on behalf of the HMC to any external agency or department or court without due authorisation.

Says violation could lead to disciplinary action

The HMC directed all concerned to strictly comply with decision in letter and spirit and said violation would be viewed seriously and could render the relevant individual liable to disciplinary action under the applicable rules, regulations, policies and terms of appointment/service in addition to any other action that could be warranted under the circumstances.

Officials insisted that the notification was issued apparently in view of the ongoing inquiries into the alleged illegal appointment of senior managers pointed out by the HMC’s HD in a letter to MTI-Policy Board, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa anti-corruption establishment (ACE) and health department on July 18.

On July 28, the ACE informed the HMC board that an “open inquiry” had been initiated into the allegations and written statements should be submitted regarding appointment of finance director Ikramullah Jan Khattak, chief internal auditor Shabbir Khattak, director (supply chain) Mohammad Ishaq Khattak, senior consultant heart failure Dr Mukhtar, senior consultant critical care Dr Shahida Rukhsana Khan, director (research and clinical audit) Dr Almas Fash, director (pharmacy) Roheena Zafar and media manager Waseem Khattak in addition to details of upgradation and re-designation of finance department employees Jahangir Khan, Said Nabi and Mohammad Aftab.

On August 13, the HD sacked its director (supply chain) over what he called “unsatisfactory performance, serious administrative lapses and persistent delays in procurement processes”. The notification said that his termination came following an “open audit” by the ACE of irregularities in the recent recruitments.

In July, the BoG ordered an inquiry against the HD and placed him under suspension but was restored by the court on August 4, while the main petition challenging the inquiry against HD is still pending with the court.

The 29-page ACE report submitted to HD on August 10 has partially been implemented, according to officials.

They said in light of the findings of the ACE’s report, the HD had terminated the director (supply chain), suspended the finance director and recommended his termination to BoG.

The officials said action regarding the chief internal auditor laid with BoG. They said for the last two months, the wrangling between HD and BoG had been going on.

The HMC spokesman didn’t respond to a message sent to him for his comments.

The MTI-Policy Board had also initiated an inquiry regarding HMC’s appointments, policy board chairman Prof Nausherwan Burki, told Dawn. “The committee is working. They will inform me if they encounter any obstruction,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2026