The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday admitted for hearing the Punjab government’s petition to carry out a judicial inquiry in the issue of counterfeit medicine provided by the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC).
According to a private television channel, an announcement on the formation of an inquiry commission was expected to be done later.
The hearing pertaining to deaths by spurious drugs took place in Justice Umar Ata Bandial’s court.
The Punjab government’s inquiry officer Major Mubashir, officials from the Federal Investigation agency (FIA), the additional secretary health and other concerned officials were present during the hearing.
The court was told that a collective inquiry was underway on the issue of deaths caused by counterfeit medicine.
During the hearing, the provincial government’s inquiry officer assured the court that serious action would be taken against those found responsible.
Moreover, the additional secretary health informed the court that around 50,000 medicines had been distributed among the people and that 350 people had been affected by these drugs.
He further said that the medicines in question were later taken back from patients who were being treated at the PIC.
“Seven hundred people were re-examined out of which 339 people were sent home healthy,” said the additional secretary.
The additional secretary said that special teams had been constituted for all provincial districts.
Adjourning the hearing to Feb 6, the court asked the federal and provincial governments to submit their replies on the issue.
