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Entire working of DRAP is illegal,allege drug lawyers and pharmacists

  • November 07, 2017

Entire working of DRAP is illegal,allege drug lawyers and pharmacists

Islamabad

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) came under scathing criticism yet again, allegedly for promoting the financial interests of the Club of 50, making illegal appointments, hiring drug inspectors against heavy bribes, and generally promoting a culture of moral and financial turpitude.

The allegations were leveled at a joint press conference convened by none other than the Pakistan Young Pharmacists Association (PYPA) and the Pakistan Drug Lawyers Forum (PDLF) here on Monday. The two organizations and DRAP have been embroiled in a game of allegations and counter-allegations for a couple of years now, with little chances of truth ever coming to the fore. It would be appropriate for the Ministry of Health to intervene by holding a press conference where the CEO of DRAP is available for a face-to-face encounter with PDLF and PYPA in the presence of the media so that the mist is cleared once and for all.

Addressing the media, PDLF’s president Dr. Noor Muhammad Mahar said, more than 4,000 poor patients are dying every day, either due to non-availability of lifesaving medicines, or sale of extremely costly medicines, while DRAP “works to enhance the profits of the Club of 50.” He stated that the Senate Standing Committee on Health has already declared DRAP as “one the most corrupt departments of Pakistan.” He accused DRAP’s CEO Aslam Afghani of promoting a culture of corruption in an organization, which he alleged, is involved in annual corruption to the tune of Rs. 25 billion.

“To get illegal jobs done, Afghani has slaughtered merit by hiring officers against bribe. He has made illegal appointments of unqualified officials. Persons who are not employees of DRAP are working in DRAP; officials have been absorbed on deputation in DRAP without such posts being advertised (in violation of SC orders); promotions are being given in violation of the orders of the higher judiciary; and certain people in DRAP continue to occupy sensitive and senior positions in place of officers who died during their jobs. Aslam Afghani offered internships to 100 candidates at DRAP for a whole year and di d not pay them any salaries,” Dr. Noor pointed out, leveling a barrage of allegations.

Dr. Mahar further accused Afghani of hiring 91 Assistant Directors (ADs) by relaxing the admission criteria and then making appointments by accepting bribes of Rs. 5 million per candidate. “The appointment criteria included written NTS test with 50% passing marks and an interview. When the NTS result was announced, the passing marks were reduced from 50% to 40% and appointments were made at the rate of Rs. 5 million per candidate,” he alleged, terming the appointment of ADs as ultra vires and illegal. He also alleged that a few ambitious ADs paid an extra Rs. 10 million each as bribe to grab the positions of Federal Drug Inspectors, a post requiring at least 10 years of relevant experience.

PYPA’s president Dr. Haroon Yousaf said that Murad Khan, a BS-16 clerk who was drawing a salary of Rs. 40,474 was promoted Deputy Director Administration with a salary of Rs. 123,661, and a health professional’s allowance of Rs. 43,920. “This allowance is only being given to doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and pharmacists working in hospitals. Murad Khan jumped 4 grades in 3 years,” he alleged.

Haroon further alleged that Ghulam Rasood Duttani and Obaidullah, who are appointed as chairman and secretary of the Drug Registration Board respectively, are junior officers whose only qualification is that they have embezzled the entire record of DRAP on the instructions of Aslam Afghani.

Dr. Mahar pointed out that an officer Sheikh Akhtar Hussain, who joined the Ministry of Health on July 5, 1991, died in 2001, but a fake person is sitting on the position of the deceased sver since. The proof of death of Sh. Akhtar Hussain is given in two references of NAB. He termed this “a test case for the newly appointed NAB Chairman and Secretary Health.”

Dr. Haroon said, “While we appreciate the efforts of Secretary Health for taking away all the positions of directors from Sh. Akhtar Hussain, but with the connivance of Aslam Afghani, he is still sitting in DRAP and getting bribes worth billions of rupees from the Club of 50. The Drug Court Rawalpindi has instructed DRAP to take legal action against Sh. Akhtar Hussain as he is involved in the spurious drug mafia, but Aslam Afghani has illegally blocked all proposed legal actions against him,” he alleged.

The conveners of the press conference urged the country’s political, judicial, and accountability leadership to constitute a joint investigation team to unveil the alleged corruption taking place in DRAP.

 

Article source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/242420-Entire-working-of-DRAP-is-illegalallege-drug-lawyers-and-pharmacists

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