Latest news with #GhulamAbbas
Express Tribune
19-05-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Nishtar officials to face action over HIV case
A joint inquiry committee has submitted its findings to the chief minister of Punjab following an investigation into the infection of 31 dialysis patients with HIV at Nishtar Hospital. The inquiry has recommended disciplinary action against several officials, including the removal of Vice Chancellor of Nishtar Medical University, Dr Mehnaz Khakwani, for administrative negligence. The recommendations, made under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability (PEDA) Act, follow directives from Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. The case came to light in October 2024 when over 20 dialysis patients were initially found to be HIV positive. That number later rose to 31 over four months after further screenings. Following the outbreak, the provincial government suspended key medical staff including Dr Ghulam Abbas, former Head of Nephrology; Dr Muhammad Kazim, former Medical Superintendent (MS) of Nishtar Hospital; and faculty members Dr Poonam Khalid and Dr Maleeha Johar. Head Nurse Naheed Parveen and Dr Alamgir Malik were also suspended, while a formal PEDA inquiry was initiated in December 2024. As per the inquiry report, Vice Chancellor Dr Khakwani failed to implement and monitor standard operating procedures (SOPs) across the hospital, and did not take timely action after the incident surfaced. As a result, the committee has recommended her removal and one-year suspension from public service. Former Head of Nephrology Dr Ghulam Abbas has been accused of withholding information about HIV-positive cases and failing to issue necessary written directives. The committee has recommended his compulsory retirement. Dr Poonam Khalid, Associate Professor of Nephrology, is alleged to have been frequently absent and negligent in ward management. A three-year demotion and a fine equal to one month's basic salary have been recommended in her case. The committee found that Dr Muhammad Kazim, the former MS, failed to promptly address the outbreak and was appointed without proper process as an 18-grade officer in a 20-grade position. The committee has recommended censure and withholding of his annual increment for one year. Meanwhile, Dr. Maleeha Johar, Dr. Alamgir Malik, and Head Nurse Naheed Parveen were acquitted of charges. Separately, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) Multan has raised concerns about the integrity of the inquiry. In an emergency meeting chaired by Dr Masoodur Rauf Haraj, the PMA alleged that the inquiry failed to determine how the virus was transmitted and focused instead on penalizing Nishtar Medical University's first female Vice Chancellor. The PMA claimed that the inquiry report may have been influenced by a senior university officer with alleged aspirations to become the next vice chancellor. According to the association, this officer reportedly had connections with the inquiry convener and predicted the report's contents in advance. The PMA also pointed out that no genetic sequencing has been conducted to confirm whether HIV transmission occurred through dialysis procedures, and questioned the absence of action against unauthorised medical practitioners.
Express Tribune
21-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Wheat farming package tops Rs110b
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has given a package amounting to Rs110 billion for wheat farmers for the first time in the history of the province. According to an official statement, no significant assistance is being provided to the wheat farmers in any other province. Presiding over a meeting, the chief minister approved a relief package worth Rs25 billion under the Wheat Farmer Support Programme. She issued directives to grant Rs5,000 per acre to the wheat farmers, amounting to Rs25,000 for five acres of cultivated land. The chief minister directed the authorities concerned to carry out an amendment required to make the flour mills comply with a condition to purchase at least 25 per cent wheat. She approved an electronic warehouse receipt policy and a notification has been issued in this regard. She directed the provincial agriculture minister to monitor the wheat procurement campaign. The price control department will assist in the campaign. The chief minister directed the Bank of Punjab to establish a credit line of Rs100 billion. She was informed in a briefing that wheat farmers had purchased agricultural inputs approximately worth Rs55 billion through the Kisan Card. The wheat farmers were given a subsidy of Rs10 billion on 9,500 tractors, of which 1,000 were given free of charge to growers at a cost of Rs2.5 billion. The wheat farmers were given a subsidy worth Rs8 billion for tube well solarisation. The farmers are being given a subsidy of Rs8 billion on 5,000 super seeders. The farmer who grows maximum wheat across the province will get a 85-horsepower tractor worth Rs4.5 million free of charge. The farmer who comes second in the wheat growing competition will get a tractor worth Rs4 million and the third Rs3.5 million. It was informed in the briefing that the farmer who grows the maximum amount of wheat in each district will get Rs1 million, the second Rs800,000 and the third Rs500,000. On the whole, the farmers will get Rs104 million in prizes in the wheat growing campaign. An agriculture internship programme worth Rs1.25 billion has been launched for guiding wheat farmers in the province. Under the scheme, 1,000 interns will remain in the field for facilitating and supporting wheat farmers across the province. Farmers cultivating cotton will get Rs25,000 per block, in all worth Rs375 million. The chief minister urged all stakeholders and citizens to take the holistic responsibility for the protection of the environment and remain an active part of campaigns for a permanent solution. Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court is likely to hear on Tuesday a plea seeking directives to the provincial government for fixing wheat price at Rs4,000 per-40kg. The petitioner Ghulam Abbas had cited as respondents the provincial government, food secretary and director general of the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation. He submitted that the government is going to fix the price at Rs2,200 40kg of wheat, while the expenditures per acre are Rs3,600. The petitioner contended that the government is not purchasing wheat from the farmers, adding that setting a low rate of the wheat is unethical, unlawful and tantamount to multiplying the miseries of the farmers. He requested the court to direct the provincial government to fix the price at Rs4,000 per 40kg, announce subsidy for the farmers and formulate a policy to purchase wheat from the farmers.
Express Tribune
05-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Millers, food dept lock horns over 'rotten' wheat
Flour millers and the Rawalpindi Food department have locked horns over non-purchase of 32,000 sacks of rotten, foul-smelling wheat stored at the Flour Mills in the twin cities, escalating the dispute and stocking fear about a potential flour crisis in the twin cities. Flour Mills have alleged that officials at the Storage Centre 3 have refused to allocate new wheat quotas to them until the purchase of the disputed wheat is completed. The Food Department has proposed a solution, offering to mix 85% new wheat with 15% of the disputed wheat, but warned that no quota will be provided otherwise. In response, flour mill owners have become vocal in protest and have filed inquiries with the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) regarding the laboratory tests of the disputed wheat. The management of flour mills pointed out that last year complaints about the wheat being contaminated with dirt and water were raised by the mills regarding the wheat in the government's warehouses in Rawalpindi. In response, the Pakistan Flour Mills Association (Punjab) officially submitted a written complaint to the Secretary of the Punjab Food Department. The Punjab Food Director formed an inquiry team, which visited Rawalpindi and confirmed the allegations. However, even after a year, no responsible parties were identified, and the 164,000 sacks of contaminated wheat were forcefully sold to the flour mills. According to the flour mills management, if the officials at Storage Centre 3 had not contaminated the wheat, it would have been sold last year, preventing a loss of Rs700 million to the Punjab government, as the official selling price was Rs4,500 per sack higher than the current year's price. Due to the poor quality, flour mills preferred to purchase domestic wheat at Rs5,000 per maund and imported wheat at Rs4,700 per maund instead. Despite the Rawalpindi flour mill depositing over Rs35m in the government treasury, the officials at PR Centre 3 have refused to provide wheat to the flour mills. The mills have been told either to take the contaminated, rotten, and foul-smelling wheat or wait for two more months. Flour mill owners argue that they have not engaged in business with any private company or individual, but rather, according to the law, have deposited the necessary funds in the government treasury for the wheat, and according to the law, the wheat should have been handed over to them on the same day the payment was made. The Deputy Director of Food in the Rawalpindi Division, Ghulam Abbas, says the contaminated wheat isn't necessarily spoiled and can be cleaned. He assured that the Food Department is ready to sift the 32,000 sacks of disputed wheat and provide it to the flour mills. Both new and old wheat should be accepted by the mills, and instead of filing applications, the flour mill owners should come to them directly, Abbas said, adding merely giving statements won't resolve the issue.
Express Tribune
30-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Millers refuse to buy 'contaminated' wheat
The flour mills in the Rawalpindi district have submitted a formal complaint to the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), protesting against the persistent pressure exerted by the Rawalpindi Food Department to forcibly purchase 32,000 allegedly foul-smelling sacks of wheat. The mills have firmly refused to buy the wheat under any circumstances and have demanded that the wheat be inspected and laboratory tested at the Wheat Storage Centre in Rawalpindi. Details suggest that last year, severe complaints were received from flour mills regarding the contamination of wheat stored in government warehouses in Rawalpindi, with reports of soil and water mixing with the wheat. In response, the Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) Punjab chapter formally lodged a written complaint with the Secretary of the Punjab Food Department. Consequently, the Director of Food Punjab constituted an inquiry team, which confirmed the allegations upon visiting Rawalpindi. However, despite a year having passed, no responsible individuals have been identified or held accountable for the corruption involved. Despite the Rawalpindi flour mills depositing over Rs35 million into the government treasury, officials posted at PR Centre 3 have refused to supply wheat to the mills. The mills have been told to either accept the wheat mixed with dirt, rotting, and foul-smelling, or wait for two months. The mill owners argue that they haven't conducted business with any private company or individual but have followed the law by depositing the required amount in the government treasury. They assert that the wheat should have been delivered the same day the payment was made, in accordance with the law. If government departments continue to mistreat businesspeople, the question arises: who will do business in this country? The staff posted at the PR Centre 3 in the federal capital was previously implicated and proven guilty of similar charges three years ago, resulting in some punishments. However, those officers were reinstated and reassigned to the same centre. The ACE in Rawalpindi confirmed receiving the complaint from the flour mills and stated that action will be taken after the Eidul Fitr holidays. Meanwhile, Deputy Director of Food, Ghulam Abbas, claims the wheat isn't spoiled or rotting, but only contains soil, which they are willing to sift and provide.
