Pakistan Young Pharmacist Association (PYPA) General-Secretary Dr Furqan Ibrahim has submitted an application to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed, requesting him to initiate criminal investigation against Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza over allegations of corruption, a local news outlet reported on Thursday.
The applicant stated that when Dr Mirza was appointed after the termination of his predecessor over allegations of corruption and illegal hike in prices of medicines, he ordered a reduction in prices within 72 hours and said that the looted money would be recovered and submitted to Bait-ul-Mal, and embezzlers would be punished. However, the applicant claimed, prices of medicines were increased and the PM’s aide allegedly took billions of rupees from pharmaceutical companies in return for facilitation.
The PYPA general secretary claimed that Dr Mirza tried to sabotage the country’s healthcare system by replacing the PMDC Act with PMC Ordinance, 2019, which was recently declared void by the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
He also alleged that the PM’s aide smuggled over 20 million face masks and protective gear out of Pakistan, which led to their shortage in the country, and created room for the supply of substandard equipment. He added that a number of doctors have refused to work without protective equipment and this has led to deaths of hundreds of patients who could not get medical assistance.
The applicant stated that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is also currently investigating the matter. He added that the PM’s aide has also started a defamatory campaign against the CJP on social media and the premier took note and ordered the FIA to take legal action against those defaming the apex judiciary.
He also said that the SAPM continued to appoint corrupt persons and terminate honest officers, including Dr Obaid Ali, who had highlighted the corrupt practices of Mirza in letters to the premier. Moreover, the PYPA general secretary alleged that the PM’s aide had appointed junior doctors as heads of hospitals administered by the federal government – resulting in a near-collapse of the healthcare system.
