LAHORE: The Pakistan Pharmacists Association (PPA) has filed a complaint with Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman to take action against health secretary Ali Jan for passing what they said derogatory and discriminatory remarks against the pharmacists, declaring his act a blatant violation of the constitution of Pakistan.

The PPA stated that the health secretary even used the words like ‘302’and ‘420’ in the official notifications for the pharmacists which were taken in negative sense in the routine life and discussed for criminals in the record of the law-enforcement agencies, including police, the Federal Investigation Agency, etc.

These were used deliberately by the department to give a ‘hidden message’ to all the relevant health authorities including the heads of the government hospitals and others not to ‘show sympathies’ with the pharmacists and treat them harshly, the PPA lamented.

The PPA’s strong reaction came when it collected various official notifications of the Punjab health secretary wherein he continued to ‘target’ the pharmacists by passing ‘unethical’ and ‘insulting’ remarks in his frequent departmental actions initiated against them. The copies of the notifications and the complaint were also available with Dawn.

As soon as another [recent] such notification surfaced, the PPA submitted the same to the Punjab chief secretary along with the complaint as evidence stating that the health secretary used repeatedly ‘intolerable’ and ‘humiliating’ words.

The notification says the health secretary has suspended a pharmacist of Services Hospital, Lahore, Ifan Afzal, on account of inefficiency and misconduct.

The PPA apprised the CS that the very next sentence in the notification was containing a highly objectionable decision, ‘he shall not be allowed to enter the hospital premises henceforth’.

In his complaint, PPA president Dr Furqan declared it a sheer violation of fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution for the government employees including pharmacists to freely move in the government offices.

He argued that under the constitution no one has been authorised to put a ban on the pharmacist(s) to enter any public sector hospital of the country even if he was found guilty while discharging official assignments.

The ‘order’ of the health secretary has left thousands of pharmacists highly upset.

The PPA president also submitted to the CS another notification wherein the health secretary initiated departmental action against a doctor (additional principal medical officer) of the hospital, employing the official jargon.

“Dr. Irfan Ishaq, Additional Principal Medical Officer (BS-19/Regular), Services Hospital, Lahore City, Lahore, is hereby transferred, with immediate effect and directed to report to the Specialised Healthcare & Medical Education Department, on administrative grounds, for further orders. He is also relieved of his duties forthwith”, reads the notification of the health secretary.

Mr Furqan further highlighted that the notification issued for the suspension of Dr Irfan Ishaq was bearing No.SO(GC-II)1-56/2024.

The notification No.SO(AHP-I)420/302(2024) issued for the suspension of pharmacist Irfan Afzal was carrying the words of ‘420’ (used for fraudulent persons, ‘302’ (used for murderers).

“The malice on the part of the authorities is apparent in the above said discriminatory and derogatory remarks revealing bias and unjust exercise of power as well as the said remarks are violation of article 3, 4 and 15 of the constitution of Pakistan and cause humiliation and undermines the dignity/reputation of these professionals”, reads the complaint of the PPA.

The PPA president stated that the treatment meted out to the pharmacists has been highly degrading as such orders did not contain these remarks for health professionals.Mr Furqan also highlighted another issue of awarding ‘unnecessary’ major departmental punishments to the pharmacists across Punjab without holding prior inquiries.

He claimed that a majority of the suspension orders of pharmacists were issued without any substantial evidence, just to cover up the inefficiency of administration of the hospitals.

“If there is any allegation of inefficiency and misconduct against any pharmacist, a proper inquiry should be conducted as the PPA always supports transparency,” the PPA president said.

The health secretary did not respond to a text message by Dawn to know his side of the story.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2024