On directions of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Shadman Police on Tuesday registered a case to launch a probe into the deaths of dozens of people, caused by reaction to various medicines given to them at Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC). The chief minister announced Rs 500,000 for the family of each of the deceased patient. The CM constituted a high-level inquiry committee under the supervision of three DIGs – DIG Major (r) Mubashar Ullah, DIG Investigation Ali Amir Malik and DIG Operations Ghulam Mehmood Dogar. Shahbaz ordered the top cops of Lahore Police to launch a massive probe into the PIC deaths. SSP (Investigation) and all SPs of the Investigation Wing would assist the committee and provide support to the inquiry officers to find the real causes behind the mishap. The inquiry committee would check the availability and sale of all drugs available in the market that resulted in the death of dozens of people at PIC. Following the CM’s directions, DIG Major (r) Mubashar Ullah and DIG Ghulam Mehmood reached Shadman Police Station where Ichra Circle DSP Abid Pehalwan filed a complaint for the registration of a case. Case number 47/12 was registered by the Shadman Police against unknown accused on the complaint of Ichra Circle DSP Abid Pehlwan under section 322 of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). Major (r) Mubashar Ullah said the case had been registered against six pharmaceutical companies and their owners. He said that the police will investigate the criminal negligence of the pharmaceutical companies. He said although FIA officials were also investigating the matter and had arrested the owners of three pharmaceutical companies, they were investigating into the case under the act of spurious drugs. He said they would ask FIA to give them custody of the arrested accused so that they could record their statements. Waseem Chaudhary, owner of Alpha Pharma, Tahir Azam, owner of Mega Pharma and Chaudhary Nadir, owner of Pharmawise are already in the custody of FIA Punjab. Investigators of FIA on Tuesday got the custody of aforesaid men after court granted FIA their remand.
