LAHORE: A partial forensic investigation report submitted to the Supreme Court Lahore registry on Tuesday revealed that the construction contracts for the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI) were awarded at 40% more than the market rate. The report was presented to the apex court bench hearing a corruption case pertaining to the facility. According to the report, the contract for the purchase of medical equipment was increased to Rs 19 billion from Rs 13 billion. Moreover, the contractors have asked for additional Rs 4 billion, the report added. Forensic expert Kokab Jamal Zuberi, who is heading the commission formed by the top court to probe funds for PKLI, had prepared the report. The report claimed that private company ZKB was awarded the construction contract illegally. The report also pointed out violation of merit in recruitment process. It was stated in the report that former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif had inaugurated the hospital thrice, adding that a sum of Rs 100 million was spent on the publicity of the ceremony. As per the report, the Infrastructure and Development Authority had to install 131 beds at the hospital, however, around 16 beds were installed till December 21, 2017. Shehbaz Sharif was the Chairman Board of Governors for Infrastructure and Development Authority and PKLI, the report noted. Moreover, the commission also filed a request seeking access to records of hospital and companies. The Supreme Court on June 3 had ordered the forensic audit of expenditures worth Rs 20 billion by the PKLI. At the hearing in Supreme Court’s Lahore registry, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar expressed anger at the PKLI head over the corruption case and ordered an examination of expenditures made by the institute. The head had also been accused of hiring professors and staff at exuberant salaries. While hearing the cases of public welfare institutes on April 29, the CJP took notice of the salaries being paid at PKLI, ordering the chief secretary to submit a detailed staff structure of the hospital employees on the same day. PKLI came under fire in March after comparisons were drawn between doctors’ salaries who worked at government hospitals and those at the PKLI. The CJP had expressed anger at the gap between salaries. During a hearing on March 24, the CJP took notice of disparity in salaries of doctors working at government-owned health facilities. “The PKLI is an institute, which hires foreign doctors. But what was the fault of doctors performing duties earnestly at government hospitals,” the chief justice had remarked. asked. He had demanded the government hospital doctors also be paid a high salary so that they did not have to practise illegally, and could be able to fulfil their duties at government hospitals with honesty. Published in Daily Times, June 13th 2018.