PAC flags major irregularities at Bolan Medical Complex Hospital

Quetta: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Balochistan Assembly on Monday reviewed a special audit of Bolan Medical Complex Hospital and identified what officials described as wide-ranging financial and administrative irregularities amounting to billions of rupees.

The meeting was chaired by Asghar Ali Tareen. PAC members Ghulam Dastagir Badini, Rahmat Saleh Baloch, Safia Bibi, Wali Muhammad Noorzai and Khair Jan Baloch attended the session. Assembly Secretary Tahir Shah Kakar and Health Special Secretary Saqib Ahmed were also present.

According to the audit, which had been flagged by the Auditor General, the hospital’s affairs showed serious lapses in several areas. These included violations in procurement, short recovery of revenue, non-transparent payments, missing records and failure to comply with rules.

The audit also found that advanced medical equipment at the hospital was not operational. The non-functional machinery included CT scanners, angiography machines and oxygen plants. In addition, drug testing had not been carried out and physical verification of stores had also not been conducted.

PAC seeks record verification

During the proceedings, committee chairman Tareen expressed anger over the hospital administration’s failure to provide the required record despite repeated requests. The management told the committee that it was relying on an old system and said the process would be completed by June 2026.

The PAC, however, directed the hospital management and audit officials to complete verification of the record within 10 days. The committee also ordered that proceedings be initiated under the BEDA Act against those found responsible for the irregularities.

The committee further warned that if non-compliance continued, the relevant officials would be summoned.

The audit review highlighted concerns not only over financial management but also over the functioning of critical hospital infrastructure and oversight mechanisms. The issues raised before the committee covered both administrative procedures and operational shortcomings at one of the province’s major public health facilities.

The PAC’s directions now require the hospital administration and audit authorities to verify the missing and incomplete record within the timeframe set by the committee, while action under the law is to proceed against those held accountable in the audit findings.