ISLAMABAD: The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) has terminated the services of a whistleblower who had pointed out irregularities in the department.

It is the second time in less than three years that an officer of Drap has been sacked after levelling allegations of corruption and irregularities in the department.

According to a notification available with Dawn, Deputy Director Dr Mohammad Aleem Akhtar has been removed from service on the charges of misconduct under the Efficiency and Discipline (E and D) Rules 2020.

“The notification stated that Mr Akhtar wrote 44 “frivolous and unfounded letters to President and Prime Minister of Pakistan and a number of other important offices including National Accountability Bureau (NAB) alleging that there were malpractices in Drap. The letters caused sheer embarrassment to Drap in the entire pharmaceutical industry of Pakistan,” it stated.

It also alleged that Mr Akhtar used the letterheads of Drap for correspondence without any approval. When a show-cause notice was issued, He requested for personal hearing. When the request was allowed, he wrote another letter requesting personal hearing by the Drap Policy Board. It added that the appointing authority independently evaluated the entire material and decided to remove him from service.

Mr Akhtar in May this year had written the letters alleging that the Drap chief executive officer (CEO) was running a ‘benami’ pharmaceutical company which was a clear case of conflict of interest. He also claimed that the CEO had committed a number of irregularities since his appointment as the deputy drugs controller in BPS-18 in 2002.

Mr Akhter stated that according to rules government officers were not allowed to get study leave without completion of five years of service, but the CEO just two years after his appointment in 2004 he went to the USA on a study leave (PhD) which was against the Civil Servant Study Rules 1996.

Earlier, in year 2020, a grade-18 officer Dr Obaid Ali, who appeared in the media a number of times and alleged malpractices in Drap and the ministry, was sacked.

The officer had claimed that he was removed against rules and without being cross-questioned about allegations he had made. However, the ministry had claimed that all the requirements were fulfilled before his sacking.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2023