DRAP chief’s appointment challenged in high court

IHC summons record of departmental inquiry against petitioner

RAWALPINDI/ ISLAMABAD: The appointment of the apex drug regulator in the country has been challenged in court. The court, though, issued notices seeking details of an inquiry against the petitioner.

The directives were issued by the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb on Friday as he heard a case filed by Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) Deputy Director Dr Ubaid Ali against the body’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shaikh Akhtar Hussain.

Dr Ali accused Hussain of holding a fake doctorate of philosophy (PhD) degree.

In the petition, the Drap deputy director asked how could a fake degree holder be appointed as the CEO of the apex drug regulator. He further argued that how could a junior be appointed as the head of the body.

He contended that Hussain’s interview process was controversial and illegal and urged the court to declare the appointment as void and direct him to return all privileges obtained by him.

After hearing the arguments, Justice Aurangzeb asked about Dr Ali, what stake did he have in the case and whether the petitioner had been issued a show-cause notice.

At this, the Drap representative told the court that Dr Ali has been the subject of a departmental inquiry but the inquiry has been delayed.

Justice Aurangzeb remarked that it was strange that which ever official faced an inquiry comes to the court challenging the appointment of their respective body’s chief.

He sought details of the inquiry conducted against Dr Ali thus far and stated that they will decide on the matter next week.

The case was then adjourned until February 13.

Another missing man

The case of another missing man has landed in the IHC after a petition was filed by a man claiming that his brother has been missing since being picked up four years ago.

Muhammad Yasin’s brother claimed in his petition that Yasin was a prayer leader at a mosque in Koza Galli of Ayubia in Abbottabad. He further claimed that the prayer leader was not linked with any political group nor was he associated with any proscribed organisation.

Despite that, he had been allegedly picked up by law enforces between the night of November 14 and 15 in 2015.

Despite the passage of four years, Yasin’s family has not been given any information about his whereabouts, claimed the petitioner.

Yasin’s brother, in his petition, urged the court to help recover his brother.

The Interior ministry secretary, defence secretary, Intelligence Bureau director general and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) inspector general have been listed as the respondents in the petition.

Extra order copies destroyed

Owing to the carelessness and negligence of lawyers and citizens, the IHC has had to suffer losses worth Rs650,000. Many lawyers and litigants apply for copies of court orders and judgments but never take them. As a result, the court gets left with piles of unclaimed order copies.

The IHC committee had directed the registrar to issue notices to applicants for receiving their extra copies. In compliance with the directives, the registrar issued the notices and waited for a few days, hoping that the applicants will pick up the 24,000 extra copies dating from 2011 to June 2018.

When no one showed up after a few days, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah directed to destroy these additional copies.

The registrar subsequently had these copies destroyed.

District judge visits Adiala jail

Islamabad East District and Sessions Judge Jawwad Hussain, along with a civil judge and Assistant Commissioner visited the Adiala Central Jail on Friday.

According to officials, the judges visited various barracks within the jail and inquired after the problems faced by inmates.

They also visited the hospital and kitchen in jail to check the quality of medical treatment and the food being prepared. They also checked the quality of the filtered water being provided to prisoners.

They expressed their satisfaction over the arrangements.

They also directed to release a prisoner who was serving time for a minor crime.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 9^th, 2019.