Medicine ban: LHC summons PIC deaths inquiry

Efroze Chemical’s counsel stated that the Punjab govt’s inquiry had found the company innocent of any wrongdoing.

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday summoned an inquiry report on deaths due to tainted drugs at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology and adjourned the hearing of a pharmaceutical company’s plea for the lifting a ban on its products till May 17.

Efroze Chemical’s counsel stated that the Punjab government’s inquiry had found the company innocent of any wrongdoing, but it was still facing a ban on supply of medicines to public hospitals.

He asked the court to declare the ban illegal and direct the government to restore the supply of medicines manufactured by the petitioner-company.

The judge remarked that the deaths caused by the use of spurious medicines were a grave matter. He directed the petitioner’s counsel to produce the final report of the inquiry conducted by the government.