ISLAMABAD, June 30: Subcommittee of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior on Monday called for coordinated efforts to root out the menace of spurious drugs.

The committee which met here under the chairmanship of Senator Sardar Mohammad Jamal Khan Leghari termed the business of spurious drugs a crime against society.

The committee members underlined the need for establishment of a coordination cell at federal and provincial levels comprising representatives of the health department, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to check such incidents and take quick action against those involved in the spurious drugs business.

It was pointed out that the performance of the drug inspectors was not up to the mark and there was a dire need to revamp the whole system and adopt a zero tolerance policy while taking action against persons involved in the unethical business.

It observed that a crackdown was required to unearth those elements who played with the lives of innocent people and that rigorous punishment should be awarded to those involved in this nefarious business.

The committee also called for making the drug courts fully functional to expedite the process of conviction.

Senator Sardar Jamal Khan Leghari said the blame game should be stopped and everyone should feel the responsibility to curb the menace.

He said people were facing threats to their lives due to availability of fake drugs in the market which could only be checked properly when coordinated efforts were made. He assured his all out support to the federal and provincial health departments, law enforcement agencies and all the other stakeholders to chalk out such policies which could help check the crime appropriately.

Earlier, the representatives of the federal and provincial health departments and law enforcement agencies gave their viewpoint on the issue of spurious drugs.

Health Secretary Khushnood Lashari stated that the committee which had been constituted by the subcommittee on interior had held various meetings.

He said the health ministry had held indepth discussions with representatives from the four provincial health departments, FIA, chemists and manufacturers on the issue of spurious drugs and soon a comprehensive report would be submitted to the subcommittee for necessary action.

The meeting was attended by senators Sardar Mohammad Jamal Khan Leghari and Bibi Yasmeen Shah. The health secretary, FIA director-general and senior officers of the provincial health departments, Law and Justice Division etc. were also present.