No leniency for culprits of spurious medicines: Shahbaz

LAHORE
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said the elements involved in production and sale of spurious and substandard medicines are enemy of humanity. He said no leniency will be shown to those playing with human lives.
He said the collusion between those producing and selling spurious medicines will be eliminated. He said the elements manufacturing and selling spurious medicines deserve maximum punishment and should be in jail. He said people cannot be left at the mercy of the mafia involved in spurious medicines. He expressed these views while addressing a meeting through video link at Civil Secretariat. The meeting decided to declare production and sale of spurious medicines non-bailable offence and to further enhance punishment for those involved in this heinous trade. The Chief Minister directed that the draft of amendments in Drug Act 1976 should be given final shape as early as possible and indiscriminate crackdown against those playing with human lives should be continued. The meeting also decided to increase the number of task forces for crackdown against spurious medicines from three to four. MPA Zeshan Gurmani will be head of the new taskforce.
Addressing the meeting, Shahbaz said speedy measures should be taken for setting up autonomous drug authority in Punjab and draft of framework for establishment of the authority should be given final shape as early as possible. He said stern action be taken against drug inspectors involved in corruption. He said geo-tagging of the units of manufactures of medicines should be undertaken while geo-tagging of medical stores and those stocking the medicines should also be carried out. He said regular inspection of units manufacturing medicines should be conducted. He said there is need for improving performance of Provincial Quality Control Board and matters of Provincial Quality Control Board in this regard should be set right.
The chief minister directed that the work should be carried out on war footing for outsourcing drug testing lab and till the outsourcing of drug testing lab, a mechanism should be evolved for checking samples of medicines from abroad. He said the process of recruitment of new pharmacists and drug inspectors through Punjab Public Service Commission should be completed at the earliest. He said the scope of digital inspection, monitoring and evaluation system should be extended to the district level in Punjab.
Shahbaz appreciated Kh Imran Nazir and Qazi Adnan Farid regarding action against the elements involved in heinous trade of spurious medicines and said the crackdown should be continued with hard work and immediate implementation of the decisions taken in the meeting should be ensured. The chief minister reprimanded the concerned authorities for delay in some matters and said concerned authorities should take steps by taking decisions.
Secretary health gave detailed briefing regarding the crackdown and the steps taken against spurious medicines. Chief Secretary Khizar Hayat Gondal, Parliamentary Secretary on Health Kh. Imran Nazir, Rana Babar Hussain, Naeem Ansari, Haider Mehdi, Wasim Butt, Abdul Aleem, Ali Khokhar, Dr Nadia Aziz, Inspector General Police, Additional Chief Secretary and concerned authorities attended the meeting at Civil Secretariat through video link.
Health Advisor Kh Salman Rafiq from Layyah, Chairman Taskforce South Punjab Zone Qazi Adnan Farid MPA from Bahawalpur and Zeshan Gurmani MPA from Muzaffargarh attended the meeting through video link.
Greater Iqbal Park: Shahbaz Sharif has given approval to the project of making masterpieces of art at public places in order to enhance beauty of Lahore as well as other cities.
A meeting presided over by him considered various proposals for this purpose. Lahore commissioner gave a briefing regarding the project of making masterpieces of art at public places for beautification of Lahore and other cities of the province.
Approval was also given at the meeting to the project of construction of walking and cycling tracks on Wagha distributory in Lahore under which 5-km long walking track and 5-km long cycling track will be built. Addressing the meeting, Shahbaz said the masterpieces of art will result in enhancing beauty of the city. He said this project is of vital importance for promoting creative abilities of the students of fine arts and after starting this project from Lahore, its scope will be extended to Divisional Headquarters of the province. The chief minister directed that a comprehensive roadmap of this project should be evolved and besides walking and cycling tracks along Wagha Distributory, construction of playground will also be considered. He said this project should be beautified through horticulture.
Shahbaz directed Lahore commissioner to beautify Metro stations and bus stops and a plan should be presented in this regard. He said Theme Park of international standard will also be set up in the provincial metropolises. He said Greater Iqbal Park will increase beauty of Lahore and result in best recreational facilities to the citizens. He said an art garden should also be set up in Greater Iqbal Park.
DCO Lahore, giving briefing about walking and cycling tracks along Wagha Distributory, said parking place will also be provided at this site for convenience of the people. He said sports cycles will be provided to the cycling enthusiasts and whole the process will be outsourced. LDA Director General, District Coordination Officer Lahore, concerned authorities, renowned architect Nayyar Ali Dada and representatives of Lahore Biennale Foundation attended the meeting.