Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK), despite its modest population of approximately 4.5 million and a relatively small geographical span of around 13,300 square kilometers, has been plagued by chronic administrative incompetence. With 10 districts created to streamline governance, the region's bureaucracy has largely failed in delivering effective and transparent public services. The recent cancellation of Al-Shifa Enterprises' drug sale license by the Secretary Drug Quality Control Board, Fozia Ashraf, marks only the tip of a massive and dangerous iceberg of corruption in the healthcare sector.
Al-Shifa Enterprises: A Widespread Crisis in Healthcare
Al-Shifa Enterprises, based on CMH Road, Muzaffarabad, faced permanent revocation of its drug sale license amid allegations of distributing counterfeit or substandard medicines. While this action is welcome, it highlights a much deeper rot one that involves systemic negligence and a pervasive mafia that thrives under the government's blind eye.
The situation is particularly dire in major healthcare institutions of Muzaffarabad, such as the Abbas Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) and the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital. Despite being the region's largest medical facilities, they suffer from understaffing, poor management, and political interference. Doctors often go unmonitored, with complaints from citizens pointing to their frequent absences, apathetic behavior, and long, unauthorized leaves. Paramedical and health science staff are reportedly the only ones delivering consistent patient care.
The DHQ hospital Hattian bala, Jehlum valley, situated on elevated terrain, is infamous for internal divisions between paramedical staff and doctors, lobby groups, and entrenched postings. Many medical professionals stationed here have not been rotated for years, leading to inefficiency and corruption. Hostels and hospital premises remain unlawfully occupied by doctors, further straining public trust.
Government Employees in Conflict of Interest: The Fake Medicine Mafia, Silent Genocide:
An even more alarming revelation is the involvement of government officers in the medicine business directly or indirectly. As per Government Servants (Conduct) Rules, 1964, no public servant is allowed to participate in or invest in any commercial activity that conflicts with official duties. Yet in Muzaffarabad, numerous government jobholders are known to operate or invest in medical stores, distribution networks, and pharmaceutical businesses.
These conflicts of interest create a breeding ground for corruption. Government servants use their influence to protect unlicensed or illegal medical businesses, enabling the circulation of fake medicines. According to media reports and local testimonies, this shadow economy of fake drugs thrives with official protection, causing irreparable damage to public health.
For over 6-7 years, concerns about fake medicine circulation have echoed in the region, only to be muffled by a powerful nexus of officials and drug barons. These medicines, often lacking efficacy or being outright harmful, contribute to what can only be described as a slow-motion genocide. Pakistan’s Drug Act of 1976 criminalizes the production, sale, and distribution of substandard drugs. Violations can result in imprisonment, heavy fines, and permanent business bans. However, weak enforcement has rendered these laws toothless in AJK. The health department, drug inspectors, and hospital administrations have repeatedly failed in their duties, compromising lives in the name of profit.
Legal Accountability and Required Sections
To ensure justice, a thorough legal framework must be applied. Sections under the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Drug Act should be invoked against individuals and organizations involved in the trade of fake medicines. This includes:
▪︎PPC Section 302/324: For loss of life or attempted harm through administration of fake drugs.
▪︎Drug Act 1976 Section 23: Manufacturing, selling or stocking of unregistered drugs.
▪︎PEMRA & PPRA Violations: Misuse of public office and resources.
▪︎Government Servants Conduct Rules, 1964: Conflict of interest and misuse of authority.
The Bigger Picture: Beyond Al-Shifa Enterprises:
While Al-Shifa Trust’s license cancellation sets a precedent, it is crucial to note that this is not an isolated case. Several previous incidents of counterfeit medicines have been documented, but accountability has always been limited to low-level scapegoats. The so-called "big fishes" investors, political backers, and high-ranking officials continue to operate with impunity.
These powerful players must be the primary targets of investigations. A high-powered commission should be established to investigate the extent of corruption in AJK’s healthcare system. Public servants found guilty should be removed from service, and criminal proceedings initiated against them.
However, Public Appeal to the Chief of Army Staff, given the Azad Kashmir government’s consistent failure to ensure public welfare and enforce accountability, it is a genuine public appeal to the Chief of Army Staff to intervene for administrative oversight. The people demand that Azad Kashmir be treated not merely as a buffer region but as an integral part of Pakistan that deserves justice, development, and dignity.
However, The shattering of Al-Shifa Enterprises' credibility must serve as a wake-up call. Until and unless the government targets the influential perpetrators, reforms drug inspection procedures, and revamps the health administration, the people of Azad Kashmir will continue to suffer.Thus, The time for symbolic action is over. Now is the moment for systemic reform, legal accountability, and real justicefor the sake of every life unknowingly put at risk by the medicine mafia.