The Balochistan Health Department on Saturday dismissed 72 doctors from government service for prolonged unauthorised absence, raising the total number of Health Department employees removed under its attendance crackdown to 200.
The province is using an artificial intelligence (AI)-based attendance system—software that records whether staff are present at work—to check that medical personnel report for duty at government hospitals and health centres. The Balochistan health secretary issued an official notification confirming the latest sackings.
Who was removed and under which law
Those dismissed include medical officers in BPS-17 and senior medical officers in BPS-18. The orders took effect immediately. The notification said the action was taken under Section 4(B)(viii) of the Balochistan Employees Efficiency and Disciplinary Act (BEEDA), 2011—the provincial law that sets efficiency and discipline rules for government employees.
Health Department officials said Rs410 million has so far been cut from the salaries of employees linked to absenteeism. Notices seeking explanations for breaches of attendance and disciplinary rules have gone to 11,000 employees, and departmental proceedings are under way against a further 800.
What the health minister said
Balochistan Health Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar said the doctors had been told repeatedly, through notices, to report for duty but did not respond. Their continued absence and failure to reply, he said, left the government with little choice but to act.
“We have zero tolerance for absenteeism and negligence among medical staff and doctors in the performance of their official duties,” he said. He added that the department wants to offer people the best possible healthcare facilities close to where they live.
Reforms and what happens next
Kakar said performance reforms are being rolled out on the instructions of Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti, with attendance at government hospitals and health centres watched through the AI-based system. With notices already served on thousands of staff and cases open against hundreds more, further disciplinary outcomes remain possible as the monitoring continues.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Balochistan Health Department ne Saturday ko 72 doctors ko naukri se nikal diya hai kyunke woh lambay arsay se be-wajah duty par nahi aa rahe thay. Ab Health Department ke kul 200 mulazimein is drive mein dismiss ho chuke hain. Government AI se attendance check kar rahi hai taake hospitals mein staff maujood rahe. Agar aap sarkari hospital jaate hain, to is se doctors ke waqt par hazir hone ki ummeed barhne ka matlab nikalta hai.
