DRAP chief to resume duties, for now

IHC grants stay on single bench’s order

ISLAMABAD: The chief executive officer of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) heaved a sigh of relief after the Islamabad High Court on Tuesday suspended an order which had declared his appointment null and void.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday suspended an order previously issued by a single bench. A division bench comprising Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani of IHC suspended the order issued by Justice Athar Minallah, restoring DRAP CEO Dr Muhammad Aslam to his post for the time being.

While accepting the petition challenging Dr Aslam’s appointment as DRAP chief, Justice Minallah had directed the concerned authorities to appoint a new chief for the premier drug regulator in the country within a period of 45 days.

The petitioner while challenging Dr Aslam’s appointment, had contended that a number of violations were made in the appointment.

He maintained that under section 18 of the DRAP Act, no person could be appointed as the CEO, director or an employee of DRAP if they had any financial or professional conflict of interests. The petitioner contended that when Dr Aslam was appointed, as CEO, he was a shareholder in a pharmaceutical company.

However Dr Aslam’s counsel, Barrister Adnan Saboor Rohaila argued that his client had disclosed that he was holding nominal public shares of a company. Rohaila argued that this did not constitute a conflict of interest.

He further contended that the statute of DRAP allows a person from the private sector to apply and be appointed as DRAP chief and it cannot be considered as a conflict of interest.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 10^th, 2017.