An officer from the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) filed a complaint against the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the organization, accusing him of operating an unnamed pharmaceutical company, which constitutes a conflict of interest.
CEO Asim Rauf denied the allegations and promised strict action against the complainant. Similar allegations were made against previous DRAP CEOs in the past, but none were proven.
Dr. Mohammad Aleem Akhter, Deputy Director of DRAP in Quetta, claimed in a letter that the CEO engaged in irregularities since his appointment in 2002. The letter alleged that Rauf violated study leave rules by pursuing a Ph.D. in the USA just two years into his position, without completing the required five years of service. Furthermore, he was accused of running M/s Zeta Pharmaceuticals in Lahore, which violated the DRAP Act of 2012.
According to the attached documents, Rauf established the company in 2010, initially under his brother’s name, and later transferred it to his father-in-law in 2018. The letter also revealed that there was another partner in the company, and if he were to pass away, the property would be transferred to the CEO’s father-in-law.
The officer who filed the complaint requested an inquiry to eliminate corruption and irregularities. However, DRAP’s chief claimed that the complainant had a history of baseless complaints and promised legal action against him.
Sajid Shah, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Health Services, acknowledged that such allegations had been made in the past, but none had been proven. He believed that certain elements within and outside DRAP were pressuring CEOs and emphasized the ministry’s commitment to transparency and rule compliance within DRAP.
Via DAWN
