A newly surfaced document detailing an 18-person staff attached to Azad Kashmir’s Health Minister has sparked public debate over state resources and the use of public funds amid healthcare challenges.
MUZAFFARABAD — A document detailing an 18-member staff attached to Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s Minister for Public Health, Dr. Mustafa Bashir Abbasi, has surfaced, prompting fresh scrutiny regarding government privileges and the utilization of public resources.
The document, obtained by local media, carries the heading “Staff Ministry of Public Health” and lists names and designations including a private secretary, personal assistant, public relations officers (PROs), a media advisor, focal persons, a stenographer, security personnel, messengers, and drivers.
According to the list, the personnel and their designations are: Farooq Haider (Private Secretary), Nazar Nazir (PA), Raja Akhtar Khan (PRO), Liaquat Abbasi (PRO), Zohaib Kaul (Media Advisor), Sardar Rizwan Mir (Focal Person), Chaudhry Farooq (Focal Person), Tighoor Ahmed Abbasi (Focal Person), Rashid Abbasi (Stenographer), Muhammad Naseer Mir (Gunman), Toueer Ahmed (Naib Qasid), Muhammad Shehzad (Naib Qasid), Muhammad Khurshid (Naib Qasid), Waqas Raees (designation not clearly specified), Muhammad Rizwan (Naib Qasid), Sadaqat (Driver), Zaheer (Driver), and Zahid Abbasi (Driver).
While the document contains 18 entries, a numbering duplication regarding the eleventh entry creates a minor sequencing variation.
The disclosure comes at a time when public circles in Azad Kashmir have raised persistent questions over government expenditures, administrative perks, and the allocation of resources within the healthcare sector.
Residents and civil society observers note that basic health centers, tehsil hospitals, and district facilities across various parts of the region frequently face shortages of essential medicines, medical staff, equipment, and other basic facilities. Critics argue that public debate often centers on how much of the state treasury is spent on ministerial staff and administrative overhead compared to direct spending on public health facilities.
The release of the document has brought attention to several regulatory questions, including the specific administrative approvals and rules governing such appointments, the total financial volume of salaries and allowances involved, and whether all positions conform to approved departmental guidelines.
Public commentators have also pointed to the broader state of healthcare infrastructure, arguing that transparency regarding administrative expenditures remains essential. Observers maintain that relevant departments and officials should clarify the official responsibilities and financial impact associated with such staff rosters.
As discussions continue over public sector spending priorities, citizens and local stakeholders continue to press for greater administrative transparency, questioning how state resources are balanced between official ministerial support and the urgent needs of patients relying on public hospitals.