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ISLAMABAD: In exercise of discretionary powers, the PPP government spent around Rs120 million on medical treatment abroad of 15 dignitaries, a sum sufficient enough for setting up 100-bed state-of-the-art hospital in Pakistan.
As already reported by this correspondent, this figure does not include total expenses incurred on foreign treatment received from public money as there are many who have not been reflected in the public document released or leaked.
While Malala Yousafzai’s medical bill is the highest, other beneficiaries include political and bureaucratic elite. Even those not entitled for treatment on official expenses are among them like the wife a senior official at the Presidency, Ghulam Arbi Khar, uncle of former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar, former DG IB Javed Noor and former IG who was retired long ago, Abbas Khan.
Abbas was member of Judicial Commission on Abbottabad when underwent brain tumour treatment in Germany costing public expenditures a whopping sum of Rs9.5 million. Former principal secretary Khushnud Lashari claimed medical bill in millions for “unknown disease” (as mentioned in official papers). Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, Makhdoom Shahahb-ud-Din, Senator Mushahidullah, Haji Adeel, Begum Shehnaz Sheikh, Barrister Masood and others also received treatment abroad from taxpayers’ money.
Starting from Malala, Foreign Ministry has spent Rs40 million on her rehabilitation treatment and stay in United Kingdom (UK) in outgoing financial year, reveals Supplementary Demands for Grants and Appropriations (2012-13). Likewise, treatment of Presidency official’s wife in the UK cost public purse Rs2.49 million, an amount paid by Presidency through supplementary grant in its budget.
Ghulam Arbi Khar’s medical treatment in Chennai Hospital to the tune of Rs4.75 million was afforded by foreign ministry when Hina Rabbani Khar, his niece, was holding this ministerial portfolio. How a relative of the sitting minister received treatment on official expenses is a big question mark.
The ministry also paid for Barrister Masood Kausar, former Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who was treated in London costing exchequer Rs5.4 million. Cabinet Division foot the bill of Rs10 million for the post-retirement treatment in US of former DG IB Javed Noor.
Earlier, a newspaper based on Cabinet Division’s documents disclosed more names received foreign treatment on official expenses approved by Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani. Senator Mushahidullah Khan of the PML-N, according to that report, was sanctioned Rs3.08 million for the treatment of an ailment in the UK in 2013, an information not reflected in supplementary grant. When it comes to pay taxes, Mushahid was non-filer, according to a study of Centre for Investigative Reporting in Pakistan (CIRP).
The PTI’s second in command, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, was sanctioned Rs4.6 million for a rehabilitation and speech therapy in the UK in 2010 by the then Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani. Hashmi’s tax document shows his income that year equal to the treatment expenditure but tax paid was Rs39,325.
Makdhoom Shahabuddin of the PPP and a former health minister was provided Rs1.1 million for treatment when he ‘suddenly’ fell sick during US visit in 2010. He was health minister by that time. His 2010 income, shown in tax documents, that year was also Rs1.1 million whereas the tax amount was beyond his income, Rs242,493.
Former religious affairs minister Syed Hamid Saeed Kazmi spent Rs4.6 million for the treatment of ‘bullet injuries.’ Senator Haji Adeel of the ANP also received treatment in the UK for diabetes cost exchequer Rs2.96 million in 2010.
A former PML-Q legislator who was disqualified for being a dual national, Begum Shahnaz Shaikh, received treatment in the US for her ‘backache’ costing equal to Haji Adeel, Rs2.96 million.
As for the bureaucracy is concerned, Khushnood Akhtar Lashari, a former principal secretary to the PM Gilani and accused in ephedrine case, was paid Rs6.8 million for the treatment of a disease not even known to the prime minister office.
“All we were asked is to issue the amount in pound sterling and the ministry of finance had to follow the orders of the prime minister office,” said an official of the Cabinet Division, according to already published report. Lashari left Pakistan in July 2012 (at the height of legal battle on ephedrine case) and has not returned yet.
Mussadiq Mohammad Khan, a grade 21 officer, was given Rs6.4 million for a liver transplant in the US in 2012. Mohammad Aslam Sanjarani, former Secretary OPF, was provided Rs1.6 million for an angioplasty, a treatment he received ‘during a visit to the US’.
According to a PMDC official, the cost incurred on treatment of above said 15 officials is sufficient enough for 100-bed hospital. “It all depends on psychological satisfaction. Since they are powerful enough to abuse public money, they prefer treatment abroad.”
We have some of the best hospitals of the world in Pakistan like for cancer we have the Atomic Energy Commission’s Nuclear Oncology and Radiology Institute in Islamabad, Shaukat Khanum in Lahore and the Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi, another doctor said. Even liver transplant was carried out at Shifa Hospital for the last one year.
Regarding speech therapy of Javed Hashmi, a doctor said the federal government has one of the best speech therapy and physiotherapy institutes in the country – the National Institute of Rehabilitation and Medicine, Islamabad (NIRM).
Discretion devours Rs120m that could build a hospital - thenews.com.pk
As already reported by this correspondent, this figure does not include total expenses incurred on foreign treatment received from public money as there are many who have not been reflected in the public document released or leaked.
While Malala Yousafzai’s medical bill is the highest, other beneficiaries include political and bureaucratic elite. Even those not entitled for treatment on official expenses are among them like the wife a senior official at the Presidency, Ghulam Arbi Khar, uncle of former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar, former DG IB Javed Noor and former IG who was retired long ago, Abbas Khan.
Abbas was member of Judicial Commission on Abbottabad when underwent brain tumour treatment in Germany costing public expenditures a whopping sum of Rs9.5 million. Former principal secretary Khushnud Lashari claimed medical bill in millions for “unknown disease” (as mentioned in official papers). Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, Makhdoom Shahahb-ud-Din, Senator Mushahidullah, Haji Adeel, Begum Shehnaz Sheikh, Barrister Masood and others also received treatment abroad from taxpayers’ money.
Starting from Malala, Foreign Ministry has spent Rs40 million on her rehabilitation treatment and stay in United Kingdom (UK) in outgoing financial year, reveals Supplementary Demands for Grants and Appropriations (2012-13). Likewise, treatment of Presidency official’s wife in the UK cost public purse Rs2.49 million, an amount paid by Presidency through supplementary grant in its budget.
Ghulam Arbi Khar’s medical treatment in Chennai Hospital to the tune of Rs4.75 million was afforded by foreign ministry when Hina Rabbani Khar, his niece, was holding this ministerial portfolio. How a relative of the sitting minister received treatment on official expenses is a big question mark.
The ministry also paid for Barrister Masood Kausar, former Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who was treated in London costing exchequer Rs5.4 million. Cabinet Division foot the bill of Rs10 million for the post-retirement treatment in US of former DG IB Javed Noor.
Earlier, a newspaper based on Cabinet Division’s documents disclosed more names received foreign treatment on official expenses approved by Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani. Senator Mushahidullah Khan of the PML-N, according to that report, was sanctioned Rs3.08 million for the treatment of an ailment in the UK in 2013, an information not reflected in supplementary grant. When it comes to pay taxes, Mushahid was non-filer, according to a study of Centre for Investigative Reporting in Pakistan (CIRP).
The PTI’s second in command, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, was sanctioned Rs4.6 million for a rehabilitation and speech therapy in the UK in 2010 by the then Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani. Hashmi’s tax document shows his income that year equal to the treatment expenditure but tax paid was Rs39,325.
Makdhoom Shahabuddin of the PPP and a former health minister was provided Rs1.1 million for treatment when he ‘suddenly’ fell sick during US visit in 2010. He was health minister by that time. His 2010 income, shown in tax documents, that year was also Rs1.1 million whereas the tax amount was beyond his income, Rs242,493.
Former religious affairs minister Syed Hamid Saeed Kazmi spent Rs4.6 million for the treatment of ‘bullet injuries.’ Senator Haji Adeel of the ANP also received treatment in the UK for diabetes cost exchequer Rs2.96 million in 2010.
A former PML-Q legislator who was disqualified for being a dual national, Begum Shahnaz Shaikh, received treatment in the US for her ‘backache’ costing equal to Haji Adeel, Rs2.96 million.
As for the bureaucracy is concerned, Khushnood Akhtar Lashari, a former principal secretary to the PM Gilani and accused in ephedrine case, was paid Rs6.8 million for the treatment of a disease not even known to the prime minister office.
“All we were asked is to issue the amount in pound sterling and the ministry of finance had to follow the orders of the prime minister office,” said an official of the Cabinet Division, according to already published report. Lashari left Pakistan in July 2012 (at the height of legal battle on ephedrine case) and has not returned yet.
Mussadiq Mohammad Khan, a grade 21 officer, was given Rs6.4 million for a liver transplant in the US in 2012. Mohammad Aslam Sanjarani, former Secretary OPF, was provided Rs1.6 million for an angioplasty, a treatment he received ‘during a visit to the US’.
According to a PMDC official, the cost incurred on treatment of above said 15 officials is sufficient enough for 100-bed hospital. “It all depends on psychological satisfaction. Since they are powerful enough to abuse public money, they prefer treatment abroad.”
We have some of the best hospitals of the world in Pakistan like for cancer we have the Atomic Energy Commission’s Nuclear Oncology and Radiology Institute in Islamabad, Shaukat Khanum in Lahore and the Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi, another doctor said. Even liver transplant was carried out at Shifa Hospital for the last one year.
Regarding speech therapy of Javed Hashmi, a doctor said the federal government has one of the best speech therapy and physiotherapy institutes in the country – the National Institute of Rehabilitation and Medicine, Islamabad (NIRM).
Discretion devours Rs120m that could build a hospital - thenews.com.pk
