The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the administrator of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) to appear before an inquiry committee and warned the case will be handed over to Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) if he fails to do so. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard a case on segregation of PIMS management from its attached medical institution, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU).
The bench also directed Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) to submit a detailed report within two months, besides submitting the details of the hospice's bank account after every three months. Appearing before the court Dr Waqar Aftab, a petitioner in the case, requested the court to segregate the PIMS from SZABMU, adding segregation of the hospice's bank accounts from the university will help control corruption. He said that a bill to segregate the hospice from the university has been pending before the National Assembly. He said that the total amount is about Rs 8 billion, for which both the institutions have separate bank accounts.
He pleaded the apex court to segregate the hospice from the university until the legislation is done. To which, the Chief Justice said that legislation is the prerogative of the Parliament, adding that the court cannot interfere in matter of the Parliament.
"It's not the job of the court to run the institutions but if something wrong is pointed out, the court can look into the matter," said the Chief Justice. Dr Waqar also said that a large amount of grant money for SZABMU was transferred to a joint account of an acting registrar PIMS and his wife, which is against the law. The counsel for PIMS said that CADD and Higher Education Commission (HEC) have initiated an inquiry into the matter following the emergence of the matter. The hearing of the case was adjourned indefinitely.
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