2005 quake relief: 14 vehicles donated to PIMS will be auctioned off

ISLAMABAD: Fourteen vehicles donated to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for the 2005 earthquake relief are set to be auctioned off. Donated by Iran and Spain, the vehicles were never used due to a lack of funds for maintenance and fuel.

The Public Accounts Committee’s sub-committee met here on Wednesday to examine the implementation status of PAC’s directive issued on the audit reports of the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination.

According to Audit Report, 13 vehicles, including 10 ambulances and on X-Ray plant, one operation theatre, and a Mercedes Bus were donated by Iran in 2005 in connection with the rehabilitation of earthquake victims. The same were handed over to the PIMS in 2006.

Audit observed that all the vehicles had neither been utilized nor surrendered to the Cabinet Division Car Pool for their distribution to any other agency. The assets are at risk of loss in terms of productivity because of continuous negligence on the part of the PIMS.

In 2009, the management of the PIMS stated that the vehicles could not be used due to a shortage of funds for petrol and maintenance. Further, the letters of donation of the vehicles were also not provided by the donor countries.

In April 2025, again,the PIMS management stated before the audit team that the hospital team received 14 vehicles from Iran and Spain during the 2005 earthquake, of which six ambulances were registered with the ETO. However, eight vehicles were not registered with the ETO Islamabad due to the non-availability of original documents. Directives were issued for the auction of the vehicles.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025