KARACHI (HRNW) – The Constitutional Bench of the Sindh High Court has decided to formally indict the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), Dr. Obaidullah Malik, in a contempt of court case regarding the non-payment of pension dues.
The Legal Dispute
The petition was filed by Shah Muzaffar Imam, a retired official with a total of 34 years of service. The petitioner’s counsel argued that after serving 28 years in the Ministry of Health, the official was transferred to DRAP. However, upon retirement, DRAP refused to include his previous years of service and subsequently withheld his pension and other financial dues.
Court Proceedings and Strict Measures
During the hearing, the court expressed strong dissatisfaction with the delays:
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Indictment Decision: The bench rejected the request for more time by DRAP’s legal team and announced the decision to frame charges against the CEO in the contempt case.
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Prosecutor Appointment: The court has appointed the Advocate General of Sindh as the prosecutor for this contempt of court trial.
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Show-Cause Notice: A formal show-cause notice has been issued to CEO Dr. Obaidullah Malik.
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Attendance Order: The court has ordered the SSP Islamabad to ensure the appearance of the DRAP CEO at the next hearing without fail.
DRAP’s Stance and Judicial Reaction
The lawyer for DRAP argued that existing internal laws do not allow for the inclusion of previous service years, though legislation is currently being drafted to address this. The court questioned why this legislation had not been finalized despite the significant passage of time since the judicial orders were issued. “The court will now see to this matter itself,” the bench remarked.
The case has been adjourned with strict instructions for the CEO’s presence at the upcoming proceedings.
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