LAHORE, June 26: Governor Lt-Gen Khalid Maqbool (retired) ordered on Wednesday the arrest of all those known to be dealing in spurious and substandard drugs and pesticides, and adulterating food and petroleum products.

He also ordered the arrest of druggists selling sedatives, antibiotics and aphrodisiacs without a doctor’s prescription, and those offering potions for diseases like cancer.

“Come down heavily on all these people without harassing those running a clean business and submit a report after 15 days,” he directed the officials concerned while chairing a meeting on spurious drugs and adulteration at the Civil Secretariat here.

The governor was informed about legal and administrative problems which the officials concerned said needed to be removed to check production and sale of spurious drugs and pesticides, and food adulteration. He asked the officials to arrest those known for such practices in the next 15 days and prepare proposals for removing the bottlenecks in the meantime.

“Those selling substandard and spurious drugs and food to the people must know that the government is serious about eradicating the menace. It is the duty of the government to ensure provision of pure and standard drugs and food to the people,” he said.

The meeting was attended by principal secretary to the governor, secretaries of the Home, Local Government, Health, Industries, Labour and Agriculture Departments and the IGP.

During the briefing on spurious drugs the Health and Local Government secretaries disagreed on who had the responsibility under the devolution of powers plan for checking adulteration. The governor finally said the drive should be carried out at the district level with the provincial government providing only guidelines for its success.

He constituted a committee comprising secretaries of the Health, Industries, Local Government, Labour and Law Departments to recommend improvement in the related laws and procedures for a permanent solution to the problem. The governor said all departments should play a pro-active role in eradicating the menace. There should also be a system of holding accountable those deputed to check the food adulteration and the manufacture of spurious drugs and pesticides, he said. He asked the officers to consult the people concerned.

The governor said police must be support the drive by arresting those against whom cases were registered.