LHC orders police, FIA action against culprits in expired heart stents case

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday ordered the federal investigation agency (FIA) and capital city police officer (CCPO) to take action against the individuals responsible for inserting expired heart stents at Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC).

Justice Shahid Waheed was hearing the petitions of lawyer Rana Sikandar and others seeking criminal action against the doctors who were involved in the scam of putting expired stents.

CCPO, Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) representative, and FIA officials also appeared before the court.

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The court expressed displeasure over non-action and asked CCPO why it has not been taken so far. CCPO could not tender a satisfactory answer and started beating about the bush. The court stopped him from talking beside the point.

To a query, the commission’s representative said that an inquiry was being held against the responsible doctors and staff. The inquiry will be completed within 60 days under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability (PEEDA) Act, he added.

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The petitioner pleaded that the patients in the PIC were inserted expired stents and maintained that the PIC also wrote a letter to the company to withdraw them, but it was not done.

The petitioner said an extremely irresponsible and corrupt person has been appointed as the PIC chief executive and the lives of the patients were endangered. He recalled that in 2017, an inquiry was held against the incumbent PIC chief however he was reappointed.

Along with the action, the applicant said the court should also order to sack the responsible officials from the posts. According to the petitioner’s lawyer, the actual facts will come to light after the inquiry.

The court will resume hearing on March 21.