SHC gives Centre 10 days to fix price of Sputnik V

Seeks report from NCOC on anti-Covid jabs administered thus far

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court directed the federal government on Monday to fix the price for the Russian coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V, within 10 days over a plea filed by a private pharmaceutical company seeking the release of its consignment of the vaccine.

A single-judge bench headed by Justice Nadeem Akhtar was informed by the assistant attorney-general during the hearing that the federal government has not yet fixed the price for the vaccine. The bench also sought a report from the National Command and Operating Centre (NCOC) detailing the number of anti-Covid jabs administered thus far.

At the hearing, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan's (DRAP) counsel maintained that the stay order issued against the government's Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) was acting as a hindrance in fixing the price of Sputnik V. The assistant attorney-general also informed the court that the federal cabinet was reluctant to fix the price of the vaccine given the stay order. At this, Justice Akhtar re-marked that the court had not restricted anyone from fixing the price. It is a matter of interpreting judicial orders, he observed.

Justice Akhtar questioned why the federal cabinet had not been guided accordingly.

He directed DRAP to guide the cabinet. The court had earlier issued an interim stay order on DRAP's notification pertaining to withdrawal of exemption for Covid-19 vaccines' import by a private firm. On Monday's hearing, DRAP's counsel maintained that it would be difficult for the federal cabinet till Section 12 of the SRO is not restored. At this, the bench inquired as to when the next consignment of the vaccine is expected to arrive.

The court was informed by the petitioner's counsel that no consignment was scheduled for now. However, the DRAP's counsel informed the court that whatever price is set for the vaccine, it would be applicable on the next consignment of Sputnik V.

The bench was further informed by the petitioner's counsel that the Centre has yet to give its reply on the matter. At this, the assistant attorney-general stated that he had been directed to update the arguments being given by DRAP's counsel. The court remarked that it would give its decision based on legalities once the price is fixed and therefore the parties should submit their arguments before the next hearing.

The bench directed the parties to consult each other over the matter and directed the Centre to fix the price of the vaccine within 10 days. Besides, the court sought a report from the NCOC pertaining to the vaccines administered to people thus far.

The hearing was adjourned till April 27.

Appeal rejected Meanwhile, another two-member bench, comprising Justice KK Agha and Justice Abdul Mobeen Lakho, rejected a man's plea against the death sentence awarded to him after he was convicted for killing a citizen during a robbery.

The bench upheld the sentence awarded to convict, Waqfun Nabi, and rejected his appeal. A trial court had handed Nabi the death sentence and a penalty of Rs100,000 in 2020 after the prosecution proved him guilty of shooting dead a citizen, Naveed Iqbal, during a robbery in Makli, Thatta, in 2007.