A fresh wave of controversy has engulfed the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) in Karachi, as a recent audit report by the Director General Audit Sindh for the fiscal year 2023–24 has uncovered alarming financial irregularities. The 40-page report outlines 42 serious observations, raising questions about mismanagement, misuse of public funds, and the role of senior leadership at one of Pakistan’s leading cardiac hospitals.
The report alleges corruption amounting to billions of rupees, highlighting questionable procurement practices and unjustified financial decisions. It points to irregularities exceeding Rs 100 million in the purchase of heart stents and Rs 410 million in medicine procurement. Moreover, the hospital reportedly failed to maintain basic operational records, including angioplasty statistics, patient mortality rates, and details of donations and bank accounts.
A key accusation is directed at the head of the institution, Dr. Tahir Saghir, who the report says remained a silent observer while large-scale financial mismanagement occurred. The report suggests the alleged corruption took place with his implicit approval, resulting in a severe loss to the national exchequer.
The audit further notes losses of over Rs 4 billion due to inflated and unjustified salaries, and an additional Rs 2 billion paid as rewards to staff without merit. Tax deductions were reportedly not made on salaries and allowances, costing the treasury another Rs 80 million. Irregularities worth over Rs 1 billion were also found in the tendering process, while nearly Rs 2 billion was allegedly transferred illegally from employees’ GP funds. Delayed payments to suppliers added another Rs 11 billion in financial strain.
In response, NICVD issued a detailed press statement on June 10, 2025, strongly rejecting the allegations. The hospital administration said the audit observations were part of a standard government procedure and did not equate to proven misconduct. The spokesperson emphasized that such preliminary remarks are issued to many departments and must be addressed with proper documentation before conclusions can be drawn.
The hospital maintained that most of the audit concerns were linked to past administrations and not the current leadership. NICVD also questioned why only its report was made public, implying a targeted attempt to damage the reputation of an institution that offers free, world-class cardiac care to over 1.4 million patients annually.
NICVD highlighted its achievements in emergency angioplasties, cardiac surgeries, and stroke interventions, all provided free of charge. The administration argued that competitive salaries and staff benefits are necessary to retain qualified professionals and are approved by its governing body under the NICVD (Sindh Administration) Act, 2014.
Despite the scrutiny, the hospital is continuing its expansion, with a new OPD complex expected to be operational by September 2025. Construction of a mosque and a new staff mess is also underway to improve facilities for patients and staff alike.
As public scrutiny grows, NICVD has vowed to cooperate with the audit process and provide comprehensive responses to every observation. Whether these findings lead to administrative reforms or official investigations remains to be seen, but the revelations have once again raised urgent questions about transparency and accountability in public healthcare institutions.
