PESHAWAR – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government dismissed 30 doctors over fake Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) registrations and certificates, ordered recovery of salaries and other government dues, and hinted at possible criminal proceedings against affected medical officers.
The decision followed departmental inquiries into the doctors’ credentials and appointments, with authorities examining their explanations, documentary evidence and inquiry reports before finalising the disciplinary proceedings.
The affected doctors were issued show-cause notices and given opportunities to defend themselves during formal personal hearings. However, the process culminated in recommendations for dismissal from government service.
Tauseef Khalid, Additional Secretary of the Finance Department, conducted the personal hearings under Rule 15 and recommended upholding the major penalty of dismissal. The Chief Secretary subsequently approved the recommendation under the powers vested in the office.
The consequences extend beyond losing their government jobs, as the dismissal orders also direct the recovery of salaries and other government payments received by the affected officers. The authorities have not disclosed the total amount to be recovered. Criminal cases are also expected to be registered against the doctors, although details of the proposed cases have not yet been made public.
The action places the medical officers under scrutiny over their professional credentials and the circumstances surrounding their appointments to public-sector healthcare facilities.
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The 30 medical officers were recruited in 2017, during the first PTI government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, before their services were subsequently regularised through provincial legislation. The disciplinary proceedings had previously faced a legal hurdle after some of the doctors obtained a stay order from the Dar-ul-Qaza circuit bench in Swat. The process resumed after the interim relief expired, paving the way for the department to proceed with the cases.
The affected officers served at government healthcare facilities across the province, including Basic Health Units (BHUs), Rural Health Centers (RHCs), Tehsil Headquarters Hospitals and other public health centres. The districts linked to the cases include Charsadda, Khyber, Swabi, Lower Dir, Mansehra, Malakand, Swat, Upper Dir and Shangla.
Several names have emerged in media coverage of the dismissals, including Dr Wajid Ali Shah, Dr Muhammad Haroon Khan, Dr Subhanullah, Dr Ijaz Ahmed, Dr Ashfaq Ahmed, Dr Aqsa Ashraf, Dr Waqar Ahmed, Dr Rahim Khan, Dr Usman Khan, Dr Tala Hussain, Dr Muhammad Qasim, Dr Tariq Khan, Dr Sher Azeem Shah, Dr Sajjad Ali, Dr Qaiser Rahim and Dr Fazal Ahad.
The names represent only part of the reported list and should not be treated as the complete roster of all 30 dismissed medical officers.
Director General Health Services has recommended disciplinary proceedings against another 26 Grade-17 Medical Officers and Women Medical Officers over prolonged unauthorised absence from duty. Some of the officials were reportedly absent for years, with certain cases dating back to 2017. The proposed action could include dismissal from service.
The absenteeism cases, however, are separate from the action against the 30 doctors over their PMDC registrations and certificates. The two matters involve different allegations and independent departmental proceedings.
Separately, six Afghan doctors working at Saidu Sharif Hospital in Swat were ordered to discontinue their house jobs, vacate their hostel accommodation and leave Pakistan.
The instructions reportedly cited a PMDC memorandum and directives from the prime minister. The development has featured in wider coverage of medical credential verification, but it remains distinct from the dismissal of the 30 medical officers.
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