THIS is apropos of the arrest of 13 people in connection with drug scandal in Lahore in which more than 100 people died. It included nine workers of a pharmaceutical company involved, two persons from the firm distributing the medicines and two hospital staff, one pharmacist and the storekeeper.

I was astonished that all the doctors involved in the purchase process like additional medical superintendent (stores) and deputy medical superintendent (stores) have been given a clean chit whereas the judicial inquiry constituted to fix the responsibility is still under way.

It shows bias against pharmacists who work at the beck and call of the hospital administration and cannot be singled out as culprits before the conclusion of the inquiry.

It is unfortunate that only pharmacists have been made scapegoats in the whole fiasco whereas doctors were not even touched as if they are sacred cows. Even the Supreme Court has barred the police from arresting those people who are cooperating in investigation.

Pharmacy has never been given due status in the country which resulted in increasing disease burden and severe brain-drain. It is the need of the hour that all the hospital staff are treated equally and fairly without any discrimination.

FAROOQ BASHIR BUTTLahore