LAHORE: Two Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) officials has been suspended by provincial government over-insertion of expired stents in heart patients in the hospital. Chief pharmacist Mohammad Yousuf and Pharmacist Samrana Ejaz were dismissed over negligence while performing their duties. The government also approved launching an inquiry against them under Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability (Peeda) Act. However, the matter of implantation of expired stents came to light in September 2021 when the PIC deputy medical superintendent (stores) in a letter to the medical superintendent revealed that expired stents were implanted in several patients at the health facility. The petition was also filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the alleged use of expired stents at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC). The petitioner claimed that expired stents were implanted into as many as 70 patients at the PIC. The stents inserted in June had expired in May, he added. The act was tantamount to playing with human lives, he stated and pleaded with the court to order legal action against those responsible for it.