On Friday the Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid said that the National Accountability Bureau has recovered Rs 385.12 million from a pharmaceutical company for overcharging for medicines.
Answering questions during Question Hour in the Senate, the minister said that it is fact that NAB has taken action against officers and officials of the Ministry of National Regulations and Services Division for their involvement in an illegal increase of drug prices. This pricing is usually done through Drugs Pricing Committee and sub-committee meetings along with the directors of pharmaceutical companies.
The minister said that during the course of investigations, Director of R G Pharmaceutical being an accused person submitted a plea bargain application under section 25 of NAO 1999 for the return of their total liability of Rs 385.12 million.
He said that the plea bargain application of the accused company was accepted by Chairman NAB and subsequently approved by the Administrative Judge of Accountability Court. The accused person has also paid total liability.
