The President Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) Ali Raza Saeed Shah has termed the devolution of Health Ministry to province as economic murder of pharmaceutical sector, saying that pharmaceutical industry has been facing immense problems owing to shifting Health Ministry to the provinces under 18thamendment.
"Secretary Health in league with Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) and Multi-national pharma companies is manipulating the current situation, which multiplied the suffering of the local pharmaceutical companies and discourage the new investors to invest in the country", Ali Raza said while addressing a press conference at RCCI on Monday.
Chairman RCCI Standing Committee on Pharmaceutical, Muhammad Aslam, former President Najam Rehan, President Trader Association of Rawalpindi Cantt Sheikh Hafeez and M. Saleem Qureshi along with other members were also present on the occasion. Ali Raza demanded of Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani to take immediate notice of the prevailing situation otherwise more than 100 of pharmaceutical companies will be closed in Rawalpindi, which would affect the investment of billions of rupees in the country.
He stressed that corrupt bureaucracy and mafia is trying to create hurdles for the investors at the times country is desperately looking for investment. "Although the local investors have the offers from the neighbouring and other countries to invest in their countries, but being Pakistani they want to invest in their own country to benefit the homeland," he said.
President RCCI said that some investors had invested billion of rupees for the establishing of pharma industry, but government without mulling and consultation shifted the ministry to the province and therefore the huge investment made by the industrialists in doldrums.
He said that in the game of using power against each other political appointments and bureaucracy neglect the investors. He further said that government has failed in establishing Drug Registration Authority (DRA) and did not produce any clear policy regarding the issue. "To avoid issuance of new licences to the new pharmaceutical companies' registration meetings are being postponed on regular basis," he added.
He said that due to the involvement of the multinational companies almost 20,000 products registration cases are waiting for their approval. He said that RCCI is planning to meet the prime minister to resolve the issue and soon the future plan would be chalked out.
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