RAWALPINDI:
A major recruitment scandal has rocked the District Health Authority (DHA) Rawalpindi, where 1,500 sanitary patrol workers and 62 entomologists were allegedly appointed through an irregular and unlawful process.
In what has been mockingly described as a “record-breaking exercise,” 4,800 candidates were interviewed in a single day, and 1,562 appointment letters were issued the same day — an act observers have wryly likened to a Guinness World Record for speed.
Despite the gravity of the allegations, no inquiry report has been made public even after a full year. A directive from the competent authority ordering the submission of the report within 48 hours has also gone unheeded — 27 days past the deadline.
According to official details, the DHA advertised 1,500 sanitary worker and 62 entomologist posts in March 2024. However, the Punjab government did not grant the required approval to proceed with the recruitment.
When the financial year concluded on June 30, 2024, the authority — instead of issuing a fresh advertisement for the new fiscal year — relied on the previous year’s notice and undertook the recruitment in violation of established procedures.
A selection committee was formed on July 30, 2024, and the following day, 31 July, the authority astonishingly conducted interviews for 4,800 applicants in a single day. On that same day, 1,500 sanitary patrol workers and 62 entomologists were selected and issued appointment letters — completing the entire recruitment process within hours.
After the incident, Dr Ansar Ishaq, then Director of Health Services, Rawalpindi Division, lodged a formal written complaint with the department.
In response, the competent authority constituted a three-member inquiry committee, chaired by Additional Director CD & EPO, Dr Moiz Manzoor, with Additional Director Health Services, Dr Shehzad, and the Additional Deputy Director as members. The committee was directed to conduct a comprehensive investigation and present its findings.
However, a full year on, the inquiry report remains unseen. Following repeated reminders from Dr Ishaq, the Punjab Health and Population Department issued written instructions on September 11, 2025, directing the committee to submit its findings within 48 hours. Yet, as of October 8, 27 days later, the report has still not been presented to the competent authority.
