Chemists demand ‘Schedule G’ withdrawal
PHOTO: FILE
Pakistan Chemist and Drugs Association (PCDA) has demanded withdrawal of 'schedule-G' from the new drugs law which puts ban on sale of life saving drugs to chemists running business on B-category.
The chemists association claimed that it would cause unemployment among over 50,000 drug store owners across Punjab, with one-fourth of them working in South Punjab.
Speaking to APP on Tuesday, PCDA Divisional President Akhtar Butt said a delegation of PCDA called on Punjab Energy Minister Dr Akhtar Malik, along with delegation of Distributors Association led by Azhar Baloch. Former Punjab health minister Iqbal Khakwani and other office bearers of pharma organisations were also present on the occasion.
He claimed, “The minister has agreed to our just demands and assured us of a meeting with Punjab CM during his next visit in the coming days.”
The divisional president alleged that licencing authority was adopting 'delaying tactics' for renewing old drugs sales licences. “In fact, they are making lame excuses to ultimately cancel licenses after three years as per deadline set in the new drugs act,”
He highlighted that it would lead to thousands of people becoming unemployed with a majority of them living in rural belts, which was reportedly about 75 per cent of the total.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 2nd, 2020.