This is apropos of the news item regarding the arrest of 13 people in connection with the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) defective drugs scandal. According to the report, nine workers of a pharmaceutical company, two persons from the firm distributing the medicines and two people belonging to the hospital staff i.e., a pharmacist and the storekeeper were arrested by the police. I was astonished that all doctors involved in the whole purchase process, including the additional medical superintendent (stores) and the deputy medical superintendent (stores) among others were given a clean chit, whereas the judicial enquiry constituted to fix the responsibility for wrongdoing in this case is still ongoing. Police in this country is a symbol of lawlessness and arbitrary actions as evident in the stories appearing in media for their high handedness. This shows a clear bias against pharmacists, who work at the beck and call of the hospital administration and cannot be singled out as culprits before the investigation has concluded. It is clear violation of Supreme Court Orders which barred Police to arrest any accused as long as they are cooperating in the investigations It is unfortunate that only pharmacists have been made scapegoats in the whole fiasco, while the doctors have been left untouched. Pharmacists have never been given due respect in our country despite the fact that a pharmacist has to spend five years to earn his Pharmacy degree besides post-graduation studies. It is the need of the hour that Pharmacists be treated equally and fairly without any discrimination to meet the ends of justice. Worthy Chief Minister Punjab should take notice of the situation otherwise whole Pharmacist community would be compelled to protest against Police for violation of  Supreme Court’s orders.
FAROOQ BASHIR BUTT,
Lahore,