KARACHI - The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed on Wednesday the federal government to fix the price of a COVID-19 vaccine imported by the private sector in a week.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Amjad Ali Sahito disposed of an appeal moved by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) that challenged a single bench’s March 18 verdict.
On March 18, the single bench had suspended the drug regulatory authority’s notification with regard to the withdrawal of exemption in COVID-19 vaccines import to a private pharma company.
The firm’s lawyer stated before the court that the DRAP allowed the import of vaccine under certain conditions on Feb 2, following which the pharma company imported one million doses of Russia’s Sputnik-V vaccine. He lamented that the firm is not being allowed to sell the vaccine. “We have already invested $45 million and imported the vaccine. What should we do now?” he asked.
A DRAP counsel requested the court to not allow the sale of the vaccine until its price is fixed. He said the firm couldn’t be allowed to fix the vaccine price as the authority to do so reset with the government. He said the company wants to sell the vaccine at desired prices.
The counsel for the firm demanded that the government allow it to re-export the vaccine if it’s not being allowed to sell it. “Tell us whether you want the vaccine or not?” the bench asked the DRAP counsel.
SHC restores suspended MPAs Faryal Talpur, Essrani
Sindh High Court’s Sukkur bench on Wednesday restored assembly membership of People’s Party MPAs Faryal Talpur and Giyan Chand Essra.
The court had suspended their membership of Sindh Assembly over dog bite incidents in their constituencies. Farooq H Naik appeared before the court in hearing of the case on Wednesday. Talpur and Giyan Chand had filed review petitions in court against suspension of their assembly membership.
Farooq Naik pleaded to the court that the MPAs were not responsible for these incidents, adding that they will follow the court’s orders.
The Sindh High Court Sukkur bench had suspended membership of the Pakistan People’s Party MPAs, Faryal Talpur and Giyan Chand Essrani on March 16 over dog bite incidents reported in their respective constituencies. The court had directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to issue the suspension notification of the two MPAs.
It is to be mentioned here that the Sindh High Court’s Sukkur Bench had earlier warned that if any person will be bitten by a dog, the membership of the respective MPA of the area would be suspended.