LHC issues notices to applicants seeking ban on Tyno syrup

Judge directs concerned officials to appear on Tuesday to inform about measures taken for patients' safety.

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday issued notices to two applicants seeking a ban on the sale of cough syrup Tyno which has allegedly caused several deaths in Punjab.

Justice Sheikh Najamul Hassan directed the concerned officials to appear before the court on Tuesday to inform about the measures taken for the safety of patients.

The applications were combined in a pending petition seeking judicial inquiry of casualties caused by the use of Tyno and registration of cases against all the responsible authorities.

Judicial Activism Panel Chairman Muhammad Azhar Siddique and Traders Welfare Organisation of Tolinton Market Lahore President Muhammad Tariq Javed moved the applications stating that 33 deaths from the cough syrup occurred in Gujranwala and Kamoke areas.

Siddique said that it was being investigated whether the people affected by the syrup consumed too much of it or whether there was a problem with the medicine itself. He added that even if the victims were drug addicts, the protection to their lives is guaranteed under Article 9 of the Constitution.

He submitted that if sale of the medicine was not stopped, it would lead to deaths on a large scale. He requested the court to impose a complete ban on the sale of this syrup. He also requested the physicians to refrain from prescribing the medicine.