In a recent decision, the Pakistani government has appointed military officers to lead two of the largest public hospitals in the federal capital, Islamabad, marking a significant shift in the administration of healthcare facilities in the region. The affected institutions are the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and POLYCLINIC.

The selected military officers will be drawn from the Medical Corps and are expected to take up key administrative positions within these hospitals. This move has raised questions and concerns among civilian authorities, as it brings the military into the realm of public healthcare management.

To formalize the appointment of these military officers, the Ministry of Health has sent a letter to the Secretary of Defense. While the government has not provided detailed reasons for this change, it is part of a broader trend where military personnel are being assigned to various administrative roles in public institutions.

However, the decision to involve the military in civil matters has sparked debate and controversy, with many voices expressing concerns over this development. Historically, such military involvement in civilian affairs has been viewed as detrimental to the country, the nation, and even the military itself.

The implications of this decision and how it will affect the healthcare landscape in Islamabad remain to be seen, but it undoubtedly marks a significant departure from established norms in public hospital administration.

Azaz Syed twitted:

“The vacant posts of the heads of the two largest public hospitals of the federal capital Islamabad namely PIMS and POLYCLINIC will now be filled by military officers. These military officers will come from the medical corps and for this purpose the Ministry of Health has written a letter to the defense secretary for the appointment of military officers. Every dispute arising in Huzur civil departments will go to the account of army and military officers. Sir, the lesson of history is that the army should not be dragged into the civil departments. This is a loss for the country, the nation and the army.”

وفاقی دارالحکومت اسلام آباد کے دو سب سے بڑے سرکاری ہسپتالوں یعنی PIMS اور POLYCLINIC کے سربراہوں کی خالی آسامیوں کو اب فوجی افسران سے پرکیا جائے گا۔ یہ فوجی افسران میڈیکل کور سے آئیں گے اور اس مقصد کے لیے وزارت صحت نے فوجی افسران کی تقرری کے لیے سیکرٹری دفاع کو خط لکھ دیا ہے۔… pic.twitter.com/m4wLnKoQAI

— Azaz Syed (@AzazSyed) October 28, 2023