islamabad - Ministry of National Health Services has relieved a senior official with a distinguished career from her duties after her husband approached the Supreme Court to identify corrupt practices in Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, an official said on Thursday.
The ministry accepted the resignation of Deputy Director (BS-18) Roohi Bano Obaid posted at Central Drug Laboratory (Karachi), after her husband, a Federal Inspector of Drugs (FID) who is posted in same city wrote letters to SC regarding the unfair pricing policies of DRAP.
FID Deputy Director Obaid Ali in his letters written to SC accused DRAP of increasing the drug prices in violation of rules and putting the burden on consumers.
As a result, the ministry began to discriminate against the two officials leaving them with no option but to tender resignations. NHS accepted the resignation of Ms Roohi Bano tendered in the month of November last year, said the official.
The notification said “The competent Authority i.e Secretary, M/o National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Islamabad has been pleased to accept the resignation of Mrs. Roohi Bano Obaid, Deputy Director (DD) (BS-18), Central Drug Laboratory, DRAP, Karachi w.e.f 30th January, 2018”.
The resignation of DD Roohi Bano Obaid stated that she tendered her resignation on visible compromise on the quality of drugs by DRAP as well as discrimination and injustice prevailing in the organization.
The official accused the DRAP employees of seeking revenge from her because she denied working against public interest, “Since the applicant was neither given a chance to be heard nor was there any effort to respond by anyone in the chain of command, I do not feel comfortable working in an environment which does not favour interest of the public”.
The official requested to be granted 2 to 3 years of leave from Pakistan, after years of follow-up and bearing the worst discrimination. She said that the office was aware that her batch mates and juniors in service were granted similar leaves but unfortunately none were materialized.
The official also alleged that DRAP and concerned Ministry under the influence of some officials threatened to remove her from the services and other consequences.
“I am not ready to be a part of the dishonest and incompetent system which believes in blind registration of drugs leading to sale of questionable quality drugs, fake inspections and licensing of manufacturing sites,” she wrote.
FID DD Obaid Ali talking to The Nation said that the couple was facing extreme pressure from high-ups of NHS after approaching SC to highlight what he claims were the embezzlements in the pricing policy by DRAP.
“I approached SC in the capacity of a common citizen, Roohi Bano has been relieved from the services and soon my case will also be processed,” he said.
He said that discrimination against both officials started in 2013 when DD Roohi Bano refused to recommend a medicine which was against public health.
He said that he sent a detail report to SC regarding increase of drug prices in the country and was sent a show-cause notice from the ministry.
“We both were position holders in Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) from urban Sindh,” said Obaid Ali.
Secretary NHS Naveed Kamran Baloch said that no forced resignation was taken from any official it could not be asked by rules.
He said that no official has been victimized and discriminated against since he assumed charge and complete details regarding this case could be also provided after reviewing the file. Spokesperson DRAP Sajid Husain Shah said that the case of resignation of Obaid Ali was also under process.