Theft Scandal: 19 High-Value Air Conditioners Vanish from Peshawar Hospital

Following the initial findings, the hospital administration initiated a formal inquiry, questioning responsible employees.

In a shocking revelation, 19 American-made air conditioners have disappeared from Peshawar's Hayatabad Medical Complex. Sources estimate the value of the stolen units to be between 5 million and 7 million rupees. These air conditioners, recently purchased for the hospital, were stored in the facility's warehouse.

According to insider reports, a whistleblower involved in the alleged theft informed the hospital administration that a colleague had moved two air conditioners out of the hospital. This prompted the administration to launch a formal investigation and review hospital records.

Upon comparing the supply order, stock register entries, the number of air conditioners installed, and those stored, it was discovered that 19 new, boxed air conditioners were missing. Specifically, 15 units of one-and-a-half ton capacity and the outer units of four air conditioners had disappeared. In the market, a one-and-a-half-ton American-made air conditioner costs over 300,000 rupees including taxes, while a one-ton unit costs about 200,000 rupees.

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The estimated financial loss due to the theft is between 5 million and 7 million rupees. Following the initial findings, the hospital administration initiated a formal inquiry, questioning responsible employees. However, the employees failed to provide satisfactory responses.

For the next phase of the investigation, those implicated were given the opportunity for a personal hearing. After their explanations proved unsatisfactory, the hospital administration was compelled to take action under the Provincial Policy Board's rules.

Sources indicate that it has been recommended to file a case with the Anti-Corruption Department or the police to recover the substantial financial loss from the perpetrators.

When contacted, the spokesperson for Hayatabad Medical Complex stated that following the inquiry, two members of the hospital store staff have been dismissed for their involvement in the theft. The spokesperson assured that these dismissals were the result of a thorough investigation and emphasized that strict legal action is being pursued to ensure compensation for the hospital's loss.