LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has announced establishment of Punjab Forensic Food & Drug Testing Agency, saying it would help curbing the menace of substandard and adulterated food, spurious drugs, agri medicines and spray.
Addressing a ceremony on the inauguration of model drug testing laboratory yesterday, he said that the Agency would be an autonomous institution and free from all kind of interference. He also visited the laboratory and inspected its various sections.
Shehbaz Sharif said that foundation of a new system has been laid with the establishment of a model lab that would be expanded gradually across the province. He said that the mafia playing with human lives through spurious and substandard medicines would be rooted out through deterrent punishment.
He said that state of the art equipment has been installed for analyzing samples in accordance with international standard. He said that the DTL was the best laboratory in the country and one of the best in the world. He said that staff has got training from Laboratory of Government Chemist London.
He said that the staff recruited through Punjab Service Commission and those receiving latest training from London would operate this lab. He said that it was deplorable that the nation has been kept in the dark.
“It is my responsibility to apprise the people of the factual position. Unfortunately more than 100 patients died due to substandard medicines at Punjab Institute of Cardiology in 2010-11. Punjab government was held responsible for this,” he said.
The CM said that samples of these medicines were sent to LGC London and laboratories in France and Geneva for reliable reports. The PPP government, he said, sent these samples to Federal Drug Testing Laboratory that gave clean chit to the companies. Perhaps, he said, it was due to the reason that manufacturing of these medicines was linked to the federal institutions.
Shahbaz Sharif said that the LGC London report revealed that the medicines contained higher level of anti malaria substance. Later, he said, the report of labs of France and Geneva also authenticated the LGC London report. He said that international labs made it clear that the local drug testing lab was a fraud and the people were being hoodwinked.
He said that instead of awarding punishment, efforts were made to save pharmaceutical companies. He said that the provincial government decided to establish a lab to avoid such situation in future. It was unfortunate, he said, hurdles were created. He said that the provincial government continued efforts for establishment of latest lab.
“During my recent visit to London, I also went to LGC Lab that followed by visit of experts to Lahore,” he said. Previously, he said, DTL was carrying out tests of 30,000 samples as against 2,000 in the UK. He said that it was a fraud for earning money which would not be allowed.
The chief minister said that the Punjab government had also established the biggest and most modern forensic science lab in Lahore and linked with nine divisions through satellite. It would help in collection of evidence at the local level and would result in substantial improvement in criminal justice system.
“During my tenure in 1997-99, I checked the elements involved in the trade of spurious agri medicines. Now adulteration in food items, spurious drugs and substandard agri medicines will be checked and no one will be allowed to play with human lives,” he said.
Earlier, Secretary Primary & Secondary Health Ali Jan Khan gave a briefing regarding setting up of model drug testing lab. Steve Wood of LGC said that the way this project has been completed in a short period was amazing.
He said that international standard would be maintained in the analysis of samples of medicines at the model lab. Provincial Finance Minister Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Adviser on Health Kh Salman Rafiq, Chief Secretary Khizar Hayat Gondal, Inspector General Police, Secretary Health, Director General Punjab Forensic Science Agency, columnists, intellectuals and medical experts attended the ceremony.