Lahore High Court Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, hearing a petition regarding the spread of dengue, directed the Punjab government on Tuesday to inform the court of its policy on shelf life of procured insecticides for larvaciding. The court fixed next hearing for March 18.
The petitioner had said the government was making false claims about controlling the epidemic. He said a dengue outbreak was probable, and the government had not taken affective precautions. He alleged that millions of rupees had been embezzled in the purchase of insecticides and medicines between January 2012 and September 2013. He said some officials had been involved in purchase of substandard medicines. He asked the court to direct the government to hold a transparent inquiry.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 12th, 2014.