ISLAMABAD: A Supreme Court order – dismissing a petition against former army chief General (r) Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani over his alleged involvement in a scam involving spurious medicines – was challenged by a former officer of the armed forces on Monday.
A constitutional petition had been moved in the apex court by Lt Col (r) Inamul Raheem under Article 184 (3) of the constitution, pleaded the top court to order a complete audit of medical store tendered, purchased and procured by the improperly established depots at 27 CMHs. The SC registrar, however, returned the petition, raising objections against it.
The petitioner on Monday filed an appeal against the registrar office.
Former chief of army staff Gen (r) Kiyani is accused of disbanding a legally established Armed Forces Medical Store Depot, as well as manufacturing, supplying and procuring substandard and spurious medicines.
In the application, it was contended that the matter could not be decided by LHC for three years as nobody appeared on behalf of the defence ministry, nor was a reply submitted in the LHC, adding that the process of initiating a proceeding by NAB against military officials was very slow.
He said that a complaint against former military ruler Pervez Musharraf was filed on the charges of corruption in 2013, which was taken up after almost five years.
The concept of the establishment existing as a state within a state has become an obstacle, as now it has emerged as an empire within a metropolitan, said the application. The applicant stated that the matter is very sensitive as spurious and substandard medicines have been manufactured and supplied in 27 military hospitals, as well as in the civil market.
“The provision of spurious medicine is a heinous, continuous and perpetual offence committed by the respondent against his own troops and there is no institution available in the country with can effectively check their activity other than the Supreme Court of Pakistan,” claimed the application.
