ISLAMABAD: After receiving a damages case, the CEO of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) Dr Mohammad Aslam has decided to file cases against companies which have time and again taken the authority to court.

“I have been trying to ensure the quality of the medicines, and the improvement is quite obvious. But some companies that have been making fake and substandard medicines have been trying to defame me and pressure me through court cases,” Dr Aslam told Dawn.

“Being the head of a government entity I have many limitations due to which I cannot give my point of view properly at different forums. But now I have gotten the go-ahead from National Health Services (NHS) Minister Saira Afzal Tarar,” he said.

Dr Aslam was appointed to Drap, which was ineffective for almost two years after its establishment, as its permanent head at the start of 2015. Since then, the authority has taken steps to address the issue of quality and pricing of drugs, while also facing controversies and the intervention of the National Accountability Bureau and the Federal Investigation Agency.

Dr Aslam said he is trying to address the issue of substandard medicines, but is facing resistance and pressure from public offices and political figures.

“Providing quality medicines to the masses is a matter of national interest,” he said. “Pharmaceutical companies that are making quality products are supporting me, but those that manufacture substandard medicines have been trying to pressure me using different methods.”

High Court advocate Hafiz Ahsan Aslam told Dawn Drap has favoured some companies while sealing others.

“Drap registered two FIRs against my client’s company, but both were quashed by the Islamabad High Court (IHC). Then Drap issued an order of void ab initio [to be treated as invalid from the outset] regarding the registration of medicines, and alleged that the company managed to change the minutes of a meeting held in Drap,” he said.

“The court rejected the argument that a company can change the minutes of Drap meetings. Due to which, now I have filed for Rs550 million in damages against the head of Drap, and the court has also directed Drap not to take any action against the company,” he added.

When contacted, Dr Aslam said the matter was about the wrong registration of a drug, was before an IHC double bench and has not yet been decided.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2017