Dr Zafar Mirza gets clean chit in face masks export case

ISLAMABAD: Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has given a clean chit to Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Affairs Dr. Zafar Mirza in a case pertaining to allowing export of 20 million face masks to China in return of obtaining monetary benefits, ARY NEWS reported on Sunday.

The agency completed its probe into the matter and found no role of Dr. Zafar Mirza in the case.

The FIA team probing the matter prepared a report, stating that complainant, Pakistan Young Pharmacists, failed to prove anything against Dr Zafar Mirza in the case.

It was alleged that the SAPM on health affairs, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and another official Ghazanfar had received Rs 60 million bribe in return for issuing six permits to Chinese companies aimed at exporting face masks.

The report said that the DRAP imposed a ban on export of masks on January 30 and later issued permits to Chinese companies, allowing export of face masks. The report said that it was found that the export was allowed due to friendly relations between the two neighboring.

The FIA has recommended against pursuing a further probe into the matter.

It is pertinent to mention here that Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood revealed on May 28 that he has received information that some exporters have obtained large orders for face masks from the international market.

“I have received information that some exporters have obtained large orders for face masks from US, Canada and Europe. This is a major breakthrough and I congratulate them for this achievement,” he tweeted.

The adviser said it is part of the government’s strategy to “diversify into new segments and this has been achieved by the exporters through their own efforts. I’m sharing this information with others to encourage them to seek more orders from different parts of the world.”