IHC orders removal of Akhtar Hussain as DRAP CEO

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday ruled in favour of removal of Sheikh Akhtar Hussain as Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), ARY News reported.

Overruling stay order in this regard, Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb read the reserved verdict during the hearing.

Sheikh Akhtar Hussain had been appointed on the top post of the drug regulatory authority on December 27 last year.

On March 8, the Ministry of National Health Services had removed Sheikh Akhtar Hussain from his services over alleged fake PhD degree in pharmacy which he had received from the Open International University of Colombo, Sri Lanka in 2000 and was not included in the HEC’s list of international chartered varsities.

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Shaikh Akhtar had challenged the ministry’s order in high court. His counsel HAD argued before the bench that his client was removed from his post against the rules.

The lawyer had argued that it was not mandatory for the CEO of DRAP to hold a PhD degree.

Earlier, the court had suspended the notification regarding removal of the drug regulatory authority chief.

Justice Mian Gul Hassan had earlier directed the petitioner to resume his duty and also issued notices to the official respondents, including the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of National Health Services, the DRAP, the Establishment Division and others to submit their replies to the petition.