Murtaza Wahab condemns raid on NICVD, urges NAB to probe ‘bigger issues’

Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab held a press conference on Monday in response to the National Accountability Bureau’s recent ‘raid’ on the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) in Karachi.

On Thursday, October 29, a five-member NAB team, without issuing a prior notice, raided the NICVD in a bid to probe alleged financial and administrative irregularities at the institute.

Speaking to journalists, Wahab condemned the action, adding that raiding a hospital that houses hundreds of patients is inappropriate.

“The Sindh government does not have a problem with the investigation itself, but the way the NAB members probed the staffers was disrespectful and uncalled for,” he maintained. “We are committed to serving humanity and will continue our mission despite all the hurdles and undue criticism from the PTI government.”

Citing some statistics about the services and performance of the NICVD, Wahab claimed that the institute has been acknowledged as the biggest, state-of-the-art cardiac healthcare facility in South Asia, as well as the largest primary-angioplasty centre in the world.

“The NAB does not seem to be concerned about real issues. They are not investigating the ongoing wheat and flour shortage, or the unprecedented hike in sugar prices – problems that directly affect the masses,” he complained. “Instead, the bureau is questioning doctors and paramedics who are only serving humanity.”

Wahab stressed that ever since the PTI government has come to power, Pakistan has been reduced to a wheat-and-sugar importing country instead of an exporter.

He pointed out that the country is going through the worst unemployment crisis in history because of the government’s incompetency and ill-conceived and poorly planned policies. But the NAB does not bat an eye, he said.

“PM Imran Khan only talks and makes tall claims instead of taking action. Whenever he “takes notice” of a situation, things go from bad to worse instead of improving,” the spokesperson opined. “PM Khan should talk less and do more as his empty words cannot solve the problems of the masses.”