ISLAMABAD: Health ministry sources told on Monday that Dr Muhammad Salman has lost his post as executive director of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
Professor Dr Tanwir Khaliq now holds the post on a temporary basis, the sources said. Khaliq serves as vice chancellor of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University.
Salman’s appointment followed the hospital fire and subsequent changes to its senior management. He took charge in late August under a three-year deputation arrangement.
An August 30 notification from the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination set out his terms of appointment. It required him to retain additional charge as chief executive officer of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) until further arrangements.
The ministry initially suspended his predecessor, Professor Dr Rana Imran Sikandar, for 120 days in the same reshuffle.
Before those appointments, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had approved the suspension of eight officials identified in the interim fire inquiry. He ordered departmental and criminal proceedings and directed the committee to submit a detailed final report.
Read: PIMS Assessment Report Flags Irregularities After Fire
Salman had outlined his priorities shortly after joining PIMS.
In an earlier interview, he promised transparent action on the inquiry committee’s findings and described that work as his first priority. He pledged wider hospital reforms to prevent similar incidents.
Soon after taking charge, Salman met departmental directors, officers and staff and chaired a meeting.
His plans covered patient services and hospital administration. Salman said his team was working to manage patient crowds more effectively and make medical facilities easier to access.
(With input from Associated Press of Pakistan and Radio Pakistan)
