Islamabad March 6 (TNS): The owner of a firm making counterfeit medicine in Lahore was arrested from the Supreme Court premises after he showed up for hearing a case filed by the drug regulatory authority.
As the Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar resumed hearing in the counterfeit drug case, the drug regulatory authority officials told the court that their officials were being harassed allegedly by DIG Punjab Rifat Mukhtar since when they have put Usman, the owner of the company making fake drugs, on notice, as according to the regulatory officials, the police officer was his relative and he was protecting him.
The Supreme Court issued the arrest orders of Usman, who was taken into custody from the court premises. The court also issued orders to seal the firm making counterfeit medicine.
Upon this, the DIG, who was present in the court, denied the charges and said he has harassed no one. The police officer asked the chief justice to allow him to speak. The chief justice said that they could not allow him to speak. When the police officer, who said he also has a prestige, pressed further to give him the rostrum to speak, the chief justice told him that “the kind of work you are indulged in, you have prestige. The chief justice warned DIG Rifat not to argue with him. At the same time, when the argument accentuated, the chief justice said” “we suspend you right now, clarify your position while appearing before the Supreme Court Lahore registry on March 8.
Meanwhile, NAB and FIA officials raided the factory in Lahore and found a large quantity of medicine from the firm. According to FIA sources, the factory workers had fled the building after the owner was arrested on the Supreme Court order.
