KARACHI: Dr. Nadeem Qamar, the executive director of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), who along with others has been facing a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) inquiry into alleged corruption and illegal appointments in the health facility has once again illegally left the country on a private trip without obtaining permission or NOC from the competent authority. He will be back on Monday night, according to sources.    

Informed sources disclosed that Dr. Nadeem Qamar last night flew to Baku via Dubai with his family without NOC while he is holding a private passport No.AH-4221083. He is already facing an FIA inquiry but on the other hand, he is a frequent traveler since 2015 holding public office and under the law, he cannot travel on a private passport. But the most surprising fact is that FIA authorities are feeling helpless before the political pressure in support of the culprit. 

According to NAB, Dr. Qamar and other NICVD officials are facing the probe over alleged corruption, illegal appointments, issuance of allowances, procurement of equipment, and misuse of authority as earlier mentioned by “National Courier” in a separate news item. Inquiry No.456/2022 has been initiated by FIA Human Trafficking Circle Karachi against him but there is no progress in this case due to political pressure, the sources added.    

 The sources said that last year in November, the NICVD chief and another accused, Faisal Bin Bashir, had obtained pre-arrest bail after the anti-graft watchdog had launched a probe against them on a complaint filed by Dr. Tariq Shaikh. FIA authorities addressed two inquiry letters to the NICVD administration but there was no reply received so far. 

Published in The Daily National Courier, October, 29 2022

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