Drafting: DRAP given 20 days to decide price policy
Bench directs instant decision to be sent to PM.
Bench directs instant decision to be sent to PM. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
The Sindh High Court (SHC) gave 20 days to the board of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) to convene a meeting and take a decision regarding the proposed draft policy as well as suggestions made by the Senate’s standing committee on health regarding the pricing policy.
Headed by Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar, the bench further directed that the decision would be made instantly and sent to the prime minister along with the entire relevant record so that the policy may be finalised, notified and enforced within a month.
In case approval has to be sought from the cabinet, the same may be done within the above prescribed period, ordered the two-judge bench during hearing of a petition.
The Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association and others had filed a petition against DRAP that issued a notification withdrawing its earlier one with immediate effect regarding hike in drug prices on the directives of Prime Minister.
They said that PM had no authority to pass any such order, adding that the notification was issued illegally without hearing their side of the story.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 25th, 2014.
The Sindh High Court (SHC) gave 20 days to the board of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) to convene a meeting and take a decision regarding the proposed draft policy as well as suggestions made by the Senate’s standing committee on health regarding the pricing policy.
Headed by Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar, the bench further directed that the decision would be made instantly and sent to the prime minister along with the entire relevant record so that the policy may be finalised, notified and enforced within a month.
In case approval has to be sought from the cabinet, the same may be done within the above prescribed period, ordered the two-judge bench during hearing of a petition.
The Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association and others had filed a petition against DRAP that issued a notification withdrawing its earlier one with immediate effect regarding hike in drug prices on the directives of Prime Minister.
They said that PM had no authority to pass any such order, adding that the notification was issued illegally without hearing their side of the story.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 25th, 2014.