Pakistan's Ministry of National Health Services has replaced the dismissal of a Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) employee with compulsory retirement. An internal inquiry had reportedly found that he issued fake house job certificates in exchange for money, ARY News and 24NewsHD reported on 31 October.

House job certificates record the supervised clinical training that young doctors complete after graduating. Doctors use them for registration, postgraduate training and job applications, so a false certificate can misrepresent a doctor's clinical experience.

What the inquiry reportedly found

Citing sources, both outlets said the employee, a grade-16 official, issued about 24 fraudulent house job certificates to house officers. ARY News said he worked in the Department of General Surgery. The reports say the PIMS inquiry held him responsible, checked transactions in his bank account, and recorded that he admitted the allegations.

PIMS's then executive director issued the dismissal order on 30 May under civil service rules. The reports say that was also the day the employee was due to retire.

Why the change matters

The ministry then issued what 24NewsHD called an overriding order, converting the dismissal into compulsory retirement. Unlike dismissal, compulsory retirement leaves him eligible for a pension and other retirement benefits. ARY News said the decision raised questions about why the penalty was changed despite the inquiry's findings. Neither report gave the ministry's reasons.

The reports did not say whether the house officers who received the certificates have been identified, or whether their records are being reviewed. PIMS is a major federal teaching hospital in Islamabad.

Checking training certificates

Medical regulators, hospitals and overseas employers who rely on house job or internship certificates can check them directly with the issuing hospital's administration. They can also match dates against rotation rosters and payroll records, and ask whether a certificate has been reported as compromised. Experience certificates from training hospitals should be checked as carefully as degree certificates.

Sources

This News Desk report summarises information published by the sources above, written in our own words. Persons named in criminal matters are accused, not convicted, unless a court has ruled otherwise. To report an error, use our contact page.

PakistanPIMSHouse job certificatesMedical trainingDisciplinary action

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