On the call given by the Pakistan Pharmaceuticals Manufacturers' Association (PPMA), chemists in Lahore and other parts of the province on Monday observed strike, to protest against changes in the Drug Act in Punjab. Due to strike, medical stores and a few chains of medical stores remained closed. Patients in need of medicines had to face difficulties in getting medicines as pharmacies in different parts of Lahore remained closed. However, a few medical stores and a chain of pharmacies remained open.
A spokesman for the PPMA said that medical shops remained closed in other parts of the province including Faisalabad, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan, Chunian, Kasur, Rawalpindi etc. He said they want fair play and justice and would continue protest till the acceptance of their demands. He said they are suffering due to negligence of policy-makers who are least bothered to understand the ground realities.
He claimed that pharmaceutical associations of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have also announced to support this strike and the wholesale market of medicines in Karachi is also shut. In Lahore, owners and employees of drugs stores chemists gathered in front of the Punjab Assembly to protest against the amendments in the Drug Act. The protestors were carrying placards in favour of their demands. They said that drug act has not changed in any other province except Punjab.
Due to these protests, traffic in city was jammed first near the Shimla Pahari, and then a sit-in at Mall Road caused worst ever traffic mess causing hardship to people. On the other hand, internal differences between PPMA and Pakistan Chemists' and Druggists' Association (PCDA) have widened as well. One group observed strike while other group after talks with Punjab Minister for Primary & Secondary Health Khawaja Imran Nazir, postponed strike till February 17.
It is pertinent to mention that according to amended Drug Act in Punjab, punishment of five-year jail with one million rupees fine has been prescribed for those who would sell substandard medicines, five-year jail and Rs 50 million fine for those who would sell fake medicines, ten-year jail and Rs 100 million fine for those who would sell medicines without licence.