Another top official removed as health ministry sinks deeper into leadership crisis

M. Waqar Bhatti

Islamabad: In a significant administrative shake-up within the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination (NHSR&C), the federal government has removed Dr. Qasim Abbas from the position of National Coordinator of the Common Management Unit (CMU) for AIDS, TB, and Malaria—a highly sensitive and donor-funded program.

At the same time, the ministry has once again surrendered the services of Special Secretary Health Mirza Nasir-ud-Din Mashhood Ahmad, requesting the Establishment Division to appoint a suitable replacement.

According to official notifications seen by this correspondent, CMU operations will now be temporarily managed by the office of the Additional Secretary, NHSR&C.

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The removal of Dr. Qasim comes amidst strong political pressure, with Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, Engr. Amir Muqam, lobbying for the appointment of his real brother, Dr. Musa Khan, to the coveted BPS-21 post.

In a letter addressed to Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal, Amir Muqam explicitly requested the appointment of Dr. Musa Khan, claiming his brother was politically victimized by the former PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and reduced to an Officer on Special Duty (OSD).

“Islamabad suits him, he lives here, and he has served at PIMS in the past. He deserves a respectable post,” Muqam had told, confirming the letter’s contents.

The timing of Dr. Qasim Abbas’s removal has drawn concern from global health stakeholders, as the CMU is responsible for managing multimillion-dollar grants from The Global Fund and overseeing Pakistan’s national strategies on three major infectious diseases. Donor confidence in the neutrality and credibility of this position is considered essential.

Meanwhile, the ministry is also facing instability at the highest bureaucratic level. On May 23, an official notification signed by the federal health minister stated that the services of Special Secretary Mirza Nasir-ud-Din Mashhood Ahmad were “no more required,” and he was placed at the disposal of the Establishment Division.

This followed an earlier exit of Secretary Health Nadeem Mahbub, leaving both top bureaucratic posts vacant.

Despite the surrender of his services, Mirza Nasir continues to function in his role, attending official meetings.

During a recent session of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Health, when questioned by MNAs about his presence despite being relieved, he bluntly stated, “I will relinquish my charge when the Prime Minister directs me.”

The power vacuum at NHSR&C is said to be deepening, with multiple senior civil servants declining to take charge due to concerns over the working environment under Health Minister Mustafa Kamal.

Officials in the Establishment Division revealed that several BS-22 officers have turned down offers to join the ministry, citing excessive interference and the presence of politically connected, non-technical aides like Ayaz Mustafa—appointed “Director General to Health Minister,” a post that does not exist in the ministry’s sanctioned structure.

Additionally, the health minister is reportedly moving to replace the Director General Health, Dr. Shabana Saleem, with a summary in the pipeline. The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath, has reportedly been sidelined in policy decisions.

Health experts warn that such internal disruptions, coupled with politically motivated appointments, could erode international trust in Pakistan’s public health programs and jeopardize national disease control efforts.

“The credibility of Pakistan’s response to HIV, TB, and malaria, and its ability to sustain global partnerships, depends on transparency and merit in appointments,” a senior official warned.

With the ministry running without both its Secretary and Special Secretary, and its flagship disease program under interim management, the federal government faces urgent calls to restore administrative stability, reinforce meritocracy, and protect the integrity of critical national health initiatives.