Prime Minister Imran Khan has tasked Adviser on Interior Affairs Barrister Shahzad Akbar to probe into the misuse of permission regarding the import of life-saving drugs from India. Sources told GVS that the premier does not want the recently approved rules to be violated. Pakistani government issued new protocols to be followed to import medicines from India.
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It is worth recalling that following the change of status of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) last year by the Modi government, the federal cabinet had taken some drastic measures in August 2019 and imposed a ban on all kinds of trade with India besides closing all land routes with the neighboring country.
However, after one month in September 2019, the government allowed the import of life-saving drugs from India as the local industry managed to convince the government that import of some life-saving drugs from India will be cheaper than importing the same from other countries.
Statutory regulatory orders (SROs) issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Textile state that the ban on trade with India would remain effective; however, it would not apply to therapeutic products regulated by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap).
“The exemption is given in the best interest of the public and in order to maintain a supply of medicines to patients,” Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza said while talking to local media.
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However, instead of importing only life-saving drugs from India, a large number of other medicines, which were also being manufactured in Pakistan at cheap rates, were imported from there.
A Drap official, requesting anonymity, said that a number of medicines or their APIs were imported from India and in case of the continued ban, there would be a severe crisis of medicines in the local market. Moreover, the official said that the government’s decision would result in an increase in the smuggling of medicines and APIs and revenue losses in terms of import duties to the national exchequer.
According to sources, the Health Ministry had presented a report in this regard and PM Imran, while presiding the cabinet meeting on the 5th of May, ordered an inquiry into the matter. They added that the Akbar-led inquiry team is expected to submit its findings in the next federal cabinet meeting.
Sources said that the federal cabinet, on finding complaints regarding the import of these drugs, had ordered the Health Ministry and Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) on the 3rd of March to provide a list of drugs that had been imported by manufacturers/importers from India. They said that on May 5, the Health Ministry had presented a list before the federal cabinet and informed that 429 drugs had been imported from India including medicines/tablets of headache and some vitamin including vitamins B1, B2 B6 & D, etc. They further said that after a heated discussion among cabinet members over the matter, the PM, who was annoyed by the violation of the cabinet’s order, had ordered an inquiry into the matter.
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According to a copy of the report presented by the Health Ministry to the government, manufacturers and importers had imported 429 active pharmaceutical ingredients, 12 different kinds of vaccines and 59 medicines from India.
It is pertinent to mention here that the government has so far not allowed importing medicines of polio disease, dengue spray and some chemicals.
“Say No to India”
Importantly, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting also launched a national slogan ‘Say No to India’ and decided to ban all cultural exchanges with India including all kinds of joint ventures in the entertainment industry of the two countries.
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“All kinds of Indian content have been stopped and PEMRA [Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority] has been directed to step up its vigilance in this regard along with actions against the sale of Indian Direct-To-Home (DTH) instruments,” said then Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan.
Talking to media persons at a reception hosted by her, she said that the recent Indian action to annex Kashmir had proved that the Quaid-i-Azam was right. “It is a clash of two ideologies. On the one hand, we have enlightened moderate and progressive ideology while on the other the extremist government in India has shown their hard-line, terrorist, fanatic, and anti-Muslim ideology.”
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The government has also banned the screening of Indian films in the country’s cinemas, report agencies. “No Indian film will be screened in any Pakistani cinema. Drama, films, and Indian content of this kind will be completely banned in Pakistan,” tweeted then SAPM.
Senior film producer and director Syed Noor welcomed the decision and said that India’s recent steps were not less than a war and Pakistan’s decision to sever all kinds of relationship with India was right.