GUJRAT: Executive District Of ficer (EDO) Health Dr Ijaz Haider, declared guilty of misconduct by the inquiry committee, has sought reconstitution of the committee while questioning the authority of its two members who are medical of ficers at the Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Hospital.

He said the medical officers, Dr Tahir Abbas Gondal and Dr Azhar Chaudhry, were under his supervisory control and they could not conduct the inquiry against him.

Dr Haider stated this in an official letter, dated May 25, to District Coordination Officer (DCO) LiaqatAli Chatha.

The three-member probe committee, headed by Additional District CollectorIrfanAliKathia,initsreport submitted to the DCO had recommended surrender of the EDO`s services to the provincial health department, finding him guilty of committing irregularities and delaying appointments and regularisation of the contract employees besides misbehaving with the subordinate staf f.

An of ficial of the district government told Dawn, on condition of anonymity, the Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Hospital was not under control of the EDO since itsupgrade to the teaching hospital and it was under the control of the provincial health secretary. So the medical officers in the hospital were working under the health secretary and the EDO`s claim of having supervisory control on them was not valid, the official said.

Meanwhile, the association of the health workers has warned the DCO that if theletter for surrendering EDO`s services is not written to the health secretarytillMay27(today),theywouldgo on a strike and hold a protest in front of the commissioner of fice in Gujranwala and the chief minister`s secretariat in Lahore.-Correspondent