The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has disposed of a contempt petition filed by a private pharmaceutical company against the provincial government over the procurement process of cancer drugs under a free-medication project for poor patients. The court also issued a written order, paving the way for resumption of work on the production and supply of medicines.
The case was heard by Justice Muhammad Naeem Anwar, who took up the petition challenging the alleged non-implementation of an earlier court order. Barrister Huzaifa Ahmad appeared on behalf of the cancer project, while the petitioner company's counsel argued that the project, initially launched at Hayatabad Medical Complex, was later extended to Ayub Teaching Hospital and Khyber Teaching Hospital to provide free medicines to needy cancer patients.
The petitioner claimed it was the only company technically capable of manufacturing the required drugs and had scored higher in the evaluation process. However, the contract was awarded to another firm, Arcogen, despite its lower score. The company argued that the bidding held on March 28, 2024, violated merit and transparency and should be declared illegal under the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Public Procurement Rules 2014.
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