Ex-senator booked for ‘spreading dengue’

Dept claims action taken after larvae was found in store, endangering public health

FAISALABAD:

Police have registered cases against former senator Farooq Ahmed Khan, the owner of a beverage company, his two employees and a store in-charge of Faisalabad District Council for allegedly running a business ‘endangering public health’ and resulting in the spread of dengue.

As per details available with The Express Tribune, the security in-charge of the company was arrested while raids were being carried out to nab the other accused.

A police report revealed that when Health Deputy District Officer (DDO) Syed Ataul Manaam among health department officials along with entomologist Khurram Azam and other staff inspected the store of a well-known beverage company, located at Khanuana on Satiana Road, they found dengue larvae among other items which were injurious to public health.

The reasons for the spread of dengue were also found at the store, on which, a case was registered under Sections 278, 270 and 268 of the Penal Code of Pakistan. This case was booked against the ex- senator, the company’s Security In-charge Mohammad Saleem and store in-charge Mohammad Munir in Faisalabad Saddar police station.

The factory owner, ex-senator Farooq Ahmad Khan, was a close associate of former prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif.

Police officials said that steps were being taken to arrest other suspects involved in the case. A case had been registered against Sardar Naseer Ahmed, store in-charge of Faisalabad District Council, which was under the control of Faisalabad deputy commissioner, for violating Section 144 and posing a threat to public health.

In the case filed by Health Inspector Munawar Hayat, in Civil Lines police station, it had been stated that when the store of District Council, located in front of the house of the regional police officer’s office, was checked, there was dengue larvae found, a leading cause of the spread of the mosquito-borne disease. This larvae was the primary reason endangering public health.

The health department officials claimed that the district council officials had been warned earlier but they did not take necessary steps in this regard. The health DDO stated that a detailed inspection of the store had revealed that dengue larvae had been found in it while in other respects also the condition of the store was found to be detrimental to public health.

He further said that, earlier, the condition of the store was found to be unsatisfactory and the Saddar assistant commissioner had given the store in-charge a warning. However, the management of the beverage company did not improve the condition of the store.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 26^th, 2020.