ISLAMABAD: There is a general perception among the public at large that bureaucracy in Pakistan does not work efficiently unless it gets some financial interest attacked with the any case. The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) is its worst example. It’s completely infected with corruption. DRAP officials are setting unwanted record of misuse of authority to actively pursue the agenda of preferring personal financial gains over national duty.
Since DRAP is working like a racket to make ill-gotton money, its seniors go to any length to protect if any of its official gets notice of top authorities for involvement in malpractices.
Additional Director, Mr Fakharuddin Amir is its latest example. The official had earned reputation of a TOP EXTORNIST in the authority. He got a senior position in the Medical Devices Registration Section of DRAP in 2019.
Being a boss of Devices Registration Section of DRAP, Mr Fakharuddin Amir, made it almost impossible for medical devices registration without getting any financial gains.
Since taking over Fakharuddin Amir earned a reputation of the most corrupt boss of the Medical Devices Section of DRAP. Sources privy to DRAP affairs say Fakharuddin Amir-adopted an approach of delaying applications for registration till he was appeased by the applicants. His behavior caught attention of top decision-makers in and outside of Pakistan.
The official record also suggests that during Fakharuddin Amir ‘s tenure, registration in DRAP dropped to 30 %. These numbers suggest how any senior bureaucrat damages institutions if his priorities are other than national interest.
Fakharuddin Amir’s behavior started to grow grievances of the companies which were made to wait for months and in some cases even more and finally president of Belarus approached to prime minister Shahbaz Sharif clearly pinpointing Mr Fakharuddin Amir’s role in blocking registration of his country’s companies which intend to export medical devices to Pakistan. Sources claim that president of Belarus conveyed to prime minister Shahbaz Sharif that Mr Fakharuddin Amir delayed registration of Belarus’ companies for not meeting his demands of money.
Prime minister , Shahbaz Sharif, ordered inquiry into the matter which found Mr Fakharuddin Amir guilty of intentionally delaying registration of Belarus companies referred by president of Belarus to prime minister Shahbaz Sharif.
On the basis of the inquiry report, prime minister Shahbaz Sharif, ordered DRAP chief to take strict action against the said officer. DRAP chief, instead taking major punitive action , has demoted services of the said officer for one year.
DRAP’s top baboos’ behavior of protecting his alleged senior official and dilute prime minister’s orders strengthen the impression of corrupt bureaucracy of Pakistan . It will, doubtlessly , send a message to grieved parties like president of Belarus that the corrupt elements in Pakistan’s bureaucracy is more powerful than even top executive of this country.