KARACHI: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has approved a summary of the health department that seeks removal of 1,500 doctors from their services for showing negligence in performance of their duties. The summery says that these officials had not reported to their place of employment for a long period. The summary says that new recruitments will be made strictly on merit to fill the vacant posts. The majority of these doctors have gone abroad on ex-Pakistan leaves, but they never reported back despite repeated reminders, while some are running private clinics and are not interested in government job, the summary says. The move will free up around 1,213 posts of medical officers, 139 of women medical officers, and 148 of senior medical officers. The officers currently occupying these posts on paper never reported back to the Sindh health department, despite several reminders, show-cause notices and warnings. The Sindh Accountant General has blocked disbursement of salaries and allowances to these doctors on the request of Sindh health department. The doctors’ removal from services was initiated after they failed to respond to the final show-cause notice sent to them by the Sindh health department. The Sindh health department has been paying millions of rupees in account of salaries and allowances to these long-absent doctors. The AG Sindh has been given task to refund salaries and allowance. In this regard, notification is likely to be issued next week. Published in Daily Times, January 14th 2018.