SC has unlimited powers in corruption cases, says CJP

Asks state institutions to mend their ways; says Chinese stents being registered but applications for registration of American, Japanese and German stents put in cold storage

ISLAMABAD: Hearing a grey trafficking case, Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Tuesday said the Supreme Court had unlimited powers in corruption cases like the Indian Supreme Court.

A three-member bench, comprising Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Umar Atta Bandyal and Justice Faisal Arab, resumed the hearing.The chief justice directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to complete the inquiry within a month and submit its report.

Deputy Attorney General Amir Rehman, NAB officials and Khawaja Haris, advocate, appeared before the bench. Appearing on behalf of the LDI companies, Khawaja Haris said the apex court had played the role  of complainant in the case due to which departments came under pressure.

The chief justice remarked that the Supreme Court should not play the role of a complainant and it could not tolerate corruption in institutions.

The court adjourned further hearing of the case to the first week of April.Hearing a suo moto case, the court warned against implantation of smuggled stents in the Punjab hospitals saying if this practice continued in future, then there would be no mercy and the law will take its course.

Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar headed the three-member bench.The court sought a statement on the qualification of the board members of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and said its members should be qualified.

The court was told that Chinese stents were being registered to which the chief justice said Chinese stents were being registered but applications for registration of American, Japanese and German stents had been put in the cold storage.

The chief justice warned the officials to mend their ways, saying the court would not accept irresponsibility and errors. He said the US authorities could not be irresponsible and approve substandard stents.

Justice Saqib said doctors take out stents from their briefcases and implant them in patients.“The patients should know as to what kind of stent is being infused in their hearts”, the CJP said.

Additional Attorney General Waqar Rana informed the court that a meeting for registration was held the previous day and was also being held on Tuesday (today).The chief justice observed that the DRAP should ensure that all the stakeholders were invited to the said meeting and directed that minutes of the meetings be submitted to the court.

Meanwhile, Waqar Rana also submitted a joint report of secretaries Ministry of Health and Services and DRAP.

He told the court that decision on applications for registration of stents would be made soon adding that advertisements had been placed in newspapers for new applications. 

He further said the DRAP and officials of provincial governments had held four meetings.

On the last hearing, the court had ruled that the price of stents should be regulated and directed the CEO of Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan to clear all the pending applications for registration of stents. Later, the court adjourned the hearing until first week of March.