NICVD Karachi faces scrutiny over PKR 40 billion corruption allegations as anti-corruption investigation intensifies

KARACHI: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Karachi has issued formal notices to senior officials of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), Karachi, as part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of financial misconduct. These allegations, which stem from Transparency International Pakistan (TIP), claim that NICVD has mismanaged public funds totaling PKR 40 billion, which in turn is based on Director General Audit Sindh's report.

Officials under scrutiny:

Sources confirm that the four key NICVD officials named in the investigation are:

• Mustafa Hassan – Administrator (BS-18)
• Muhammad Faisal – Head of Internal Audit (BS-18)
• Dawar Hussain – Head of Human Resources (BS-19)
• Faisal Abdul Sattar – Chief Financial Officer (BS-19)

Two additional officials at NICVD are also reported to have been issued similar notices, increasing the total number of individuals under investigation to six. The notices direct these officials to appear before ACE Karachi on July 23, 2025, or before 12:00 PM to record their statements. They have been instructed to submit various documents related to their appointments and financial practices, which will be reviewed as part of the investigation.

The action against these officials follows a formal complaint by Transparency International Pakistan, which outlined several allegations against NICVD, including violations of recruitment processes and misappropriation of public funds.

Earlier on June 13, 2025, Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) formally submitted a detailed complaint to the Chief Minister of Sindh, Murad Ali Shah, regarding alleged widespread corruption at NICVD. The complaint claims that NICVD mismanaged PKR 40 billion of public funds, based on the Audit Report 2023–24 issued by the Director General Audit Sindh.

The TIP complaint highlighted the following key allegations:

• PKR 7.30 billion in inflated salaries, allowances, and perks granted to NICVD employees during FY 2023–24.
• PKR 740 million in questionable payments made to contractors without following proper procurement rules.
• PKR 170 million in losses linked to the illegal appointments of 10 individuals in violation of NICVD’s recruitment rules.

The individuals named in the TIP complaint include Kashif, Altaf, Mateen, Syed Fazal Abbas, Dawar Hussain, Syed Khurshid Haider, Khaleel Ahmed Khan, and Faisal Abdul Sattar. Two other names were included in the annexures but are not publicly disclosed for legal reasons. Additionally, TIP raised concerns over NICVD’s violations of the Sindh Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (SPPRA) rules, particularly in relation to biased vendor selection and the lack of transparency in tendering processes.

Transparency International Pakistan emphasized that NICVD, which operates entirely on public funds, must adhere to the highest standards of financial transparency and compliance. The watchdog has called on Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to ensure that those responsible for the financial mismanagement are held accountable and that recovery proceedings are initiated for the public losses.

In response to the Director General Audit Sindh's report and Transparency International Pakistan's complaint, on July 1, 2025, the Sindh Health Department responded by forming a two-member inquiry committee to review the findings of the Audit Report 2023–24. The committee, chaired by the Additional Secretary (General) of the Health Department, with the Deputy Secretary (Admn-I) as secretary, was tasked with submitting its findings within 15 days. The committee was tasked to investigate the alleged irregularities related to recruitment, excessive payments, and questionable procurement practices at NICVD.

In its defence, NICVD officially denied the claims of financial misconduct. The institute described the audit findings as “misleading, premature, and contrary to facts.” NICVD stated that the audit observations were routine queries, not conclusive evidence of wrongdoing.

In its statement, NICVD clarified that many of the audit observations concern appointments made in 2017–2018, long before the appointment of Prof. Dr. Tahir Saghir, who became Executive Director in November 2023. The institute emphasized that these issues were carried over from previous management and not part of the current administration’s operations.

NICVD has pledged its full cooperation with the inquiry committee and promised to provide authenticated records to support its defense. Despite the controversy, NICVD reaffirmed its commitment to providing high-quality, free cardiac care across the country and emphasized its continued efforts to expand its services. 

As the investigation progresses, the Sindh Health Department’s inquiry and the Anti-Corruption Establishment’s probe into the allegations of financial misconduct and recruitment irregularities at NICVD remain a focal point. The inquiry committee’s findings are expected to have significant implications for the future of public healthcare governance and financial transparency in Sindh. The situation also raises important questions about the accountability of publicly funded health institutions, and its resolution could set critical precedents for institutional integrity and public trust in the healthcare system.

The public and healthcare stakeholders will be closely monitoring the inquiry's outcomes, which may lead to further legal and administrative actions based on the committee's report.

Stay informed. Stay ahead.

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