CDL denies clearing medicine found lethal by foreign lab

Karachi: The Central Drug Testing Laboratory (CDL), Karachi, has denied Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s allegations that the CDL had cleared a medicine, Isotab, manufactured by Efroze Pharma and declared it fit for patients, saying they had not so far tested the medicine.

“The CDL received five drugs and raw material of two drugs from the Punjab and our analysis found one of the medicines, Alfagril (Clopidogril) of Alfa Pharma substandard,” Deputy-Director of the CDL Dr. Obaid Ali told The News on Wednesday.

“The medicine, Isotab-20, was not among the medicine samples sent to CDL by the Punjab government,” he clarified. Dr. Obaid Ali said initially, they received samples of five medicines and raw materials for two on January 19 and they completed the tests and sent the report to Punjab Drug Inspector and Quality Control Board on January 27, 2012.

ìThe medicine of Alfa Pharma, Alfagril, was found substandard as the medicine had dark spots on it and was discoloured. Analysis showed that it was substandard and not up to the international standardsî Dr. Obaid Ali disclosed.

He denied that CDL cleared Isotab of Efroze Pharma, saying that they received its samples later and they were currently analysing the drug on priority basis.

ìWhen we have not tested the medicine, how can we clear it and declare it safe for useî, the CDL official queried.

In reply to a query, he said that the CDL had refused to accept samples of another 12 medicines from the Punjab government that were sent to CDL for analysis as CDL did not work for the Punjab government.

ìFirst the Punjab government would have to notify that they were sending us the medicines for analysis and then they should send them to us as per rules prescribed under Drug Act, otherwise we canít accept any samples from any provincial governmentî, he said.

Chandio denies he has resigned as law minister

ISLAMABAD: The mystery surrounding the resignation of Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Maula Buksh Chandio, has deepened as the leader of the House, Syed Nayyer Hussain Bukhari, announced during the Senate session that Chandio had resigned from the cabinet while Chandio himself denied this after the session.

Nayyer Bukhari asked for the deferment of the bill for the 20th Amendment in the Constitution on the ground that Maula Buksh Chandio had informed him that he had resigned as the law minister. Interestingly, Chandio was seated beside him and nodded when Bokhari declared that he had resigned. However, after the session, Chandio denied that he had resigned. “No one sought my resignation nor have I tendered it,” he told the media outside the Parliament House.

Reports of his resignation came when Senator Babar Awan met President Asif Ali Zardari at the Presidency in the company of Chandio after the Supreme Court suspended Babar’s legal be appointed minister for law, justice and parliamentary affairs.

According to sources, the decision to appoint Babar Awan as law minister was later dropped on the legal advice that it would not be appropriate to do so at this particular juncture. “It would have conveyed a wrong message to the apex court which has suspended his licence earlier in the day,” sources privy to the consultations said. They said this would have created misunderstanding ahead of Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani’s appearance in the court on January 19.

It may be pertinent to mention here that Babar Awan’s younger brother is advisor to PM on law and justice while the secretary of the law ministry also happens to be his close aide.

Sources said a few days ago, ANP chief Asfandyar Wali had advised President Asif Ali Zardari not to consult Babar Awan for legal advice. He said this in the presence of Babar Awan, sources claim. It is also said that senior PPP leaders have also urged President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani time and again not to rely on Babar’s legal advice, but to no avail.

Sources also told The News that in the recent meeting of the coalition partners, Babar Awan was not allowed to give a briefing on legal matters relating to the Supreme Court decision.

The 20th amendment, which the government wanted to introduce in the Senate but which was deferred, aims to give legal cover to 29 bye-elections that were held after the general elections of February 2008. The amendment had been prepared in accordance with the directions of the Supreme Court after the formation of Election Commission and appointment of members of the Commission.

Chandio denies he has resigned as law minister

ISLAMABAD: The mystery surrounding the resignation of Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Maula Buksh Chandio, has deepened as the leader of the House, Syed Nayyer Hussain Bukhari, announced during the Senate session that Chandio had resigned from the cabinet while Chandio himself denied this after the session.

Nayyer Bukhari asked for the deferment of the bill for the 20th Amendment in the Constitution on the ground that Maula Buksh Chandio had informed him that he had resigned as the law minister. Interestingly, Chandio was seated beside him and nodded when Bokhari declared that he had resigned. However, after the session, Chandio denied that he had resigned. “No one sought my resignation nor have I tendered it,” he told the media outside the Parliament House.

Reports of his resignation came when Senator Babar Awan met President Asif Ali Zardari at the Presidency in the company of Chandio after the Supreme Court suspended Babar’s legal be appointed minister for law, justice and parliamentary affairs.

According to sources, the decision to appoint Babar Awan as law minister was later dropped on the legal advice that it would not be appropriate to do so at this particular juncture. “It would have conveyed a wrong message to the apex court which has suspended his licence earlier in the day,” sources privy to the consultations said. They said this would have created misunderstanding ahead of Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani’s appearance in the court on January 19.

It may be pertinent to mention here that Babar Awan’s younger brother is advisor to PM on law and justice while the secretary of the law ministry also happens to be his close aide.

Sources said a few days ago, ANP chief Asfandyar Wali had advised President Asif Ali Zardari not to consult Babar Awan for legal advice. He said this in the presence of Babar Awan, sources claim. It is also said that senior PPP leaders have also urged President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani time and again not to rely on Babar’s legal advice, but to no avail.

Sources also told The News that in the recent meeting of the coalition partners, Babar Awan was not allowed to give a briefing on legal matters relating to the Supreme Court decision.

The 20th amendment, which the government wanted to introduce in the Senate but which was deferred, aims to give legal cover to 29 bye-elections that were held after the general elections of February 2008. The amendment had been prepared in accordance with the directions of the Supreme Court after the formation of Election Commission and appointment of members of the Commission.