Spurious and nefarious: DRAP concerned over govt inability to arrest fake drug manufacturer
Owner launches media campaign against drug regulator
PHOTO: REUTERS/ File
ISLAMABAD:
The drug regulator has shown grave concerns over imitation drug manufacturer Noor Mohammad Mahar who despite being nominated in more than 155 FIR’s for manufacturing and selling fake, unregistered and substandard medicines is still out of the grip of law enforcement agencies and operating freely in the society.
The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) in a statement said that it has exposed the corrupt practices of all owners of Everest Pharma (spurious drug manufacturers) including Mahar through the assistance of prestigious government institutions of the country i.e. Supreme Court of Pakistan, FIA and NAB. However, in print and social media, the responses have been damaging to the officers of DRAP.
In the beginning of 2018, DRAP received a complaint that a pharmaceutical company, namely Everest Pharmaceuticals Islamabad, was involved in manufacturing of spurious, un-registered and substandard medicines. Mahar is one of the owners of the firm. DRAP tried to take immediate action against the firm but the powerful gang of owners of Everest Pharma pressurised the officers of DRAP through various tactics including lodging various applications in police stations. Mahar under the garb of Pakistan Drug Lawyers’ Forum and Young Pharmacists Association started a malicious campaign on print, electronic and social media against the officers of DRAP.
Due to their blackmailing, officers of the DRAP were demotivated and no Law enforcement agency was cooperating with DRAP to take action against Everest Pharma before February 2018. DRAP has already admitted that the bunch of criminals is so powerful that it had to request the Supreme Court of Pakistan to direct the law enforcement agencies to cooperate with DRAP to take action against Everest Pharma. The apex court while hearing Human Rights Application filed by DRAP directed the DRAP and law enforcement agencies to immediately take action against Everest Pharma. However, no arrest has been made as yet.
Since few years, Mahar and his coterie involved in illicit business of manufacturing of spurious, unregistered and substandard drugs was trying to defame the officers of DRAP who took stand to stop their illegal activities and refused to bow to their pressure for compromise. This group was running a malicious campaign against Dr Sheikh Akhter Hussain, quoting two NAB references declaring him deceased.
In fact, NAB has cleared the officer in that case where he was wrongly arrayed as deceased person. In this regard, the NAB has submitted a detailed report in the Islamabad High Court maintaining that the petitioner is trying to mislead the court and all adverse allegations levelled against the officer are false, baseless and without any evidence.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2018.
The drug regulator has shown grave concerns over imitation drug manufacturer Noor Mohammad Mahar who despite being nominated in more than 155 FIR’s for manufacturing and selling fake, unregistered and substandard medicines is still out of the grip of law enforcement agencies and operating freely in the society.
The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) in a statement said that it has exposed the corrupt practices of all owners of Everest Pharma (spurious drug manufacturers) including Mahar through the assistance of prestigious government institutions of the country i.e. Supreme Court of Pakistan, FIA and NAB. However, in print and social media, the responses have been damaging to the officers of DRAP.
In the beginning of 2018, DRAP received a complaint that a pharmaceutical company, namely Everest Pharmaceuticals Islamabad, was involved in manufacturing of spurious, un-registered and substandard medicines. Mahar is one of the owners of the firm. DRAP tried to take immediate action against the firm but the powerful gang of owners of Everest Pharma pressurised the officers of DRAP through various tactics including lodging various applications in police stations. Mahar under the garb of Pakistan Drug Lawyers’ Forum and Young Pharmacists Association started a malicious campaign on print, electronic and social media against the officers of DRAP.
Due to their blackmailing, officers of the DRAP were demotivated and no Law enforcement agency was cooperating with DRAP to take action against Everest Pharma before February 2018. DRAP has already admitted that the bunch of criminals is so powerful that it had to request the Supreme Court of Pakistan to direct the law enforcement agencies to cooperate with DRAP to take action against Everest Pharma. The apex court while hearing Human Rights Application filed by DRAP directed the DRAP and law enforcement agencies to immediately take action against Everest Pharma. However, no arrest has been made as yet.
Since few years, Mahar and his coterie involved in illicit business of manufacturing of spurious, unregistered and substandard drugs was trying to defame the officers of DRAP who took stand to stop their illegal activities and refused to bow to their pressure for compromise. This group was running a malicious campaign against Dr Sheikh Akhter Hussain, quoting two NAB references declaring him deceased.
In fact, NAB has cleared the officer in that case where he was wrongly arrayed as deceased person. In this regard, the NAB has submitted a detailed report in the Islamabad High Court maintaining that the petitioner is trying to mislead the court and all adverse allegations levelled against the officer are false, baseless and without any evidence.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2018.