LAHORE: The Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), Lahore, burnt a stock of expired medicines on the premises of the institute, an official told Dawn on Tuesday.

Though the medicines were burnt in accordance with a set protocol, the official said, the management also destroyed some drugs which were to be expired in January 2016.

The PIC administration, however, said it had destroyed the medicines to ensure safe and standard drug to the patients.

For the purpose, it had formed a committee, headed by an additional medical superintendent of the hospital, according to a statement.

About the burning of the medicines which were to be expired in 2016, the administration said that these were destroyed as their colour had changed. The medicines which were burnt were worth over Rs130,000.