A district court in Islamabad on Wednesday approved a seven-day physical remand for three individuals taken into custody by the Federal Investigation Agency concerning a vaccine acquisition matter valued at a loss of Rs2.445 billion to the state treasury.
Judicial Magistrate Shaista Kundi presided over the District and Sessions Court hearing where Mohammad Abid Hussain Shah, who directs the Basic Health Services Program, alongside Pardeep Kumar and Dr. Syed Ghulam Murtaza Shah, appeared. Investigators had asked for fourteen days of custody.
The agency stated that these individuals face grave financial corruption charges involving a five-year agreement for acquiring meningococcal and influenza vaccines.
Investigators claim the deal went to Medicines Pharma Connect, which stood as the sole bidder, bypassing any market analysis or bid comparisons to favor a chosen firm.
State coffers suffered an extra load amounting to Rs2.445 billion from this agreement, based on agency calculations. The individuals also face theft and misappropriation allegations.
The agency informed the bench that custody remained essential to retrieve primary purchasing documents and official letters, as well as to track down other accomplices involved.
The magistrate granted seven days of physical custody following statements from both sides. Authorities must present the accused before the bench once this timeframe expires.
