Corruption in Drug Procurement: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Govt Initiates Action Against 10 Health Officials Including Former DG

Peshawar:The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has launched disciplinary action against **10 health department officials**, including the **former Director General (DG) Health**, over alleged corruption in drug procurement during the caretaker government’s tenure.

According to official documents, **Chief Minister KP** has issued **show-cause notices** to the accused officials. They have been directed to submit their responses within **10 to 14 days**. Failure to respond may result in **unilateral action based on existing evidence**, as per the recommendations of the inquiry committee.

The investigation, led by **Anti-Corruption Adviser Musaddiq Abbasi**, found concrete evidence of **corruption and mismanagement** in the procurement process. The inquiry committee has recommended the **recovery of over Rs. 17 crore from each official involved**.

During the caretaker setup, the provincial government had released over **Rs. 3 billion** for the purchase of medicines. However, despite receiving **Rs. 1.2 billion**, pharmaceutical companies reportedly **supplied only Rs. 200 million worth of medicines**, raising serious concerns about large-scale financial misappropriation.

Health Adviser **Ehtesham Ali** told Geo News that the provincial government has adopted a **zero-tolerance policy toward corruption**. “Those involved will not only be dismissed from service but also face full recovery of the embezzled funds,” he stated.

The move signals a strong stance by the KP government to hold accountable those responsible for misusing public funds in the health sector during a critical time.