Check on quackery: 12 held in crackdown on fake drugs and quacks

ICT admin seals 13 illegal clinics

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration on Saturday continued a crackdown against quackery and counterfeit drugs and arrested 12 people from capital’s outskirts, said an official.

A special team headed by Additional Deputy Commissioner Abdul Sattar Isani conducted raids in the capital’s outskirts and sealed thirteen illegal clinics in Sohan, Chatta Bakhtawar and Bari Imam. The drive against quackery had started last week on the directions of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.

The sealed clinics were identified as Al- Wahab Clinic, Bari Imam, Imran Clinic, Usman Clinic, Ali Clinic, Alsboor, Saadi Clinic, Huma Clinic, Saadat Clinic in Sohan, Al-Shafa Clinic,  Ahmed Medical Clinic Sohan, Wada Rehabilitation Clinic in Chatta Bakhtawar, and Ayesha Clinic.

The official said most of the clinics had doctors who lacked Pakistan Medical and Dental Council registration records.

Sources in the administration said they had also arrested Ahmed, a police constable deputed near parliament, who was moonlighting as a ‘doctor’ in one clinic. The sources said that Ahmed had been doing this for nine years.

Isani, told The Express Tribune that the drive will continue till every fake doctor is removed, while asking for the public to cooperate by shunning quacks. “Raids will also be conducted in other Union Councils. We will not tolerate any illegal practitioners,” he added.

Meanwhile, quality control teams also continued the food safety drive, sealing two well known eateries.

On Saturday, Shalimar Assistant Commissioner Waqar Hassan Cheema sealed Espresso Lounge and Italian Oven — both in Sector F-10 — due to the unhygienic conditions of their kitchens.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 20^th, 2015.