ISLAMABAD – The Supreme Court has returned a constitutional petition filed against former army chief, Gen (retd) Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, over his alleged involvement in a medical scam.
The petition was filed by a former military officer Lt Col (retd) Inamul Rahiem under Article 184 (3) of the Constitution, who urged the Supreme Court to issue directives for a complete audit of the medical store tendered, purchased and procured by the improperly established depots at 27 Combined Military Hospitals.
Former military chief, Gen (retd) Kayani – who was made respondent in the case – is accused of disbanding a legally established Armed Forces Medical Store Depot, as well as, manufacturing, supplying and procuring substandard and spurious medicines in connivance with former military spokesperson Major General Athar Abbas.
“During his [Athar] stay as corps commander at Karachi, he came across certain medicine manufacturers and knew their business technique and after his retirement from [the] armed forces he decided to set up the business of medicines,” the petition stated.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/court-martial-not-to-be-invoked-against-army-officer-over-concealment-of-assets-rules-sc/
The petitioner pleaded that Athar got the services of his longtime friend and former Lt Col Naveed who established a pharmaceutical factory named Medizan Laboratories as a frontman of Lt Gen (retd) Athar after latter’s retirement.
In his petition, the former military personnel contended that in 2009, a drug inspector sent the sample of tablet Tinize manufactured by Medizan Laboratories (Pvt) Ltd to the Drug Testing Laboratory Punjab which confirmed that the said drug was substandard.
He prayed the court to refer the matter to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for criminal proceedings.
However, the apex court registrar office shot down the petition, raising three objections.
The registrar office objected that the petitioner had not approached any other appropriate forum, adding that he has not provided any justification for not doing so.
The registrar office also objected that apparently, the matter was sub judice before the Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench.
Moreover, the apex court official also cited the absence of the certificate required under the rules of Supreme Court.
After the dismissal of the petition, Rahiem expressed concerns at the registrar office’s move, saying that he would challenge the objections very soon as.
The applicant had also made the Ministry of Defence, Lt-General (retd) Athar as respondents.
