Punjab govt files reply in expired stents case

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday took up a petition against alleged insertion of expired stents into heart patients at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC).

A state counsel submitted replies on behalf of the Punjab government and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) as Justice Ali Baqir Najafi resumed hearing.

He informed the court that the government has constituted a committee to probe the scam.

The court issued directives for provision of copies of the replies to the petitioner and adjourned the case until October 7.

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At the previous hearing, the petitioner claimed that expired stents were implanted into as many as 70 patients at the PIC. The stents inserted in June had expired in May, he added.

The act was tantamount to playing with human lives, he stated and pleaded with the court to order legal action against those responsible for it.

The issue came to light when the PIC deputy medical superintendent (stores) in a letter to the medical superintendent revealed that expired stents were inserted into several patients at the health facility.