THE political dimensions acquired by the ephedrine case because of the possible involvement of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s younger son are overshadowing a very serious issue. Ephedrine is a central nervous system stimulant commonly used as a decongestant in cold remedies. However, like many of the chemicals used in pharmaceutical industry, ephedrine can be abused; in large doses, it produces effects very similar to those of the drug ‘ecstasy’, and is also known as ‘the poor man’s ecstasy’. The movement of ephedrine is regulated by the International Narcotics Control Board. For 2010-11, the INCB gave Pakistan an annual quota of 22,000kg. The scandal currently unfolding before the Supreme Court concerns the unexplained raising of this ceiling in 2010 by Pakistani authorities to 31,000kg, the allocation of large quantities of the substance to two pharmaceuticals for export in advance of other pharmaceuticals that were also to be given allocations, and the suspected leak of ephedrine into the local markets  and possibly across international borders.

On Tuesday the Anti-Narcotics Force regional director, Brig Fahim Ahmed Khan, told the SC bench that last year, 6,400kg of ‘ecstasy’ were seized in Iran, 750kg in Iraq and around 200kg in Karachi. Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry expressed concern that the drug may have been smuggled across Pakistan’s borders, observing that the “issue now involves Pakistan’s honour”. This may be an understatement. Pakistan has enough on its plate without suspicions that it is involved in the flow of controlled drugs westwards. According to the ANF, an INCB team may visit in July to investigate the matter. It behoves Pakistan to put its own house in order. First, those involved in the scandal must be brought to book without fear or favour. But more importantly, we must tighten drug regulations and ensure that controlled substances are not trafficked. Pakistan’s central drug authority was devolved after the 18th Amendment. In February, after the tainted medicine debacle in Punjab, the SC directed the establishment of a central authority after which the Drug Regulatory Agency Ordinance 2012 was passed. The mechanism needs to step up its work to prevent the country becoming embroiled in more scandals.