LAHORE: In a surprise move, the Punjab government has `discarded` the months-long process for appointment of the new executive director of the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), Lahore, allegedly to post a senior doctor named in a probe into expired stents scam, against the top slot.

The appointment process was stopped despite the fact that the shortlisted candidates for the position had been interviewed twice first by the Special Selection Board (SSB) headed by health minister Dr Yasmin Rashid and then by the Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar himself.

An of ficial privy to the information told Dawn the top PIC slot had fallen vacant after the retirement of Prof Saqib Shafi on Sept 23, 2021.

He said the government had initiated the process for appointment of new PIC head amid the expired stent scam inquiry that led to administrative and financial crises and closure of services at the insti-tute more than once.

The government had advertised the PIC top slot on Oct 5, 2021, inviting applications from the interested candidates.

Meanwhile, the Specialised Healthcare & Medical Education Department(SH&MED)appointed Prof Zaf ar Tufail as interim executive director of the institute for a period of 90 days or till the posting of new ED, whichever happens earlier.

After a delay of around 50 days, the interviews of the candidates were conducted by SSB of the Punjab government on Nov 25.

Headed by the provincial health minister, the board comprised senior doctors, including University of Health Sciences Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Javed Akram, Mayo Hospital Board of Governor (BoG) Prof Mahmood Shaukat and the health secretary.

The 90-day term of Prof Tufail expired on Dec 25, creating financial and administrative issues at the institute.

The SSB shortlisted three out of four senior professors and forwarded a summary to the Punjabchief minister for appointment of one of them as the PIC`s executive director.

The official said the chief minister`s of fice kept the summary pending for more than a month and then called the candidates for interviews.

He said the CM, however, recently rejected the previous process and ordered to re-advertise the post, a step that shocked the original candidates as well as the health authorities.

While declaring it a surprise move, the official believed that the interview process was discarded to make appointment of a `favourite` as head of the PIC, as the government was under pressure from certain influential quarters in this regard.

He said a committee which had probed into the expired stents scam at the PIC had held several of ficials of the institute responsible for the negligence, including one of the candidates interviewed by the chief minister for the slot. He added that the same doctor [nominated in the probe] is being backed by some `influential quarters` forhis appointment as ED of the institute.

The inquiry committee had already submitted its report to the Lahore High Court and the CM office in this regards, recommending that the senior consultants of PIC to be proceeded against under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline & Accountability (PEEDA) Act 2006.

During the last hearing on Jan 13, the L HC had shown displeasure over the report lying pending with the CM office for so long, seeking a detailed reply in this regard on the next hearing on Jan 27.

Being the premier public sector cardiac institute, the PIC Lahore has been in the limelight for many scandals.

One of the mega scam surfaced in 2012 when over 150 patients had died due to supply of adulterated medicines by the PIC, while another regarding the use of expired stents appeared later.

The PIC has also been accused of delaying treatment of the poor and deserving patients and preferring those seeking treatment privately by paying the cost.