General
High import duties trigger medicine shortage in Pakistan

Pakistan is battling an economic crisis as it struggles to manage depleting foreign reserves, handle the economic meltdown, price hikes and now the re-emergence of coronavirus.
However, the presence of Covid in the country, is thinking that it may just be a perfect time to bring back import duties on various items, used for treatment and protection from the virus, which at the moment is declared as tax free by the government.
Pakistan is currently faced with a nationwide shortage of medicines, including various antipyretics, antihistamines, antibiotics and respiratory agents.
Moreover, equipment including nebulizers, face masks and gloves, used by Covid patients, nurses and doctors are also faced with a massive shortage, leaving the country in a spot of bother as sixth wave of coronavirus continues to spread across the country.
“The shortage of drug like Panadol is likely to disappear from the local markets as the sixth wave matures. A packet of Panadol consisting of 100 tablets is being sold in Karachi’s black market for 425 PKR at the moment. Similarly, Panadol CF, an anti-allergy medicine, is also becoming hard to find,” said Muhammad Atif, President of Wholesale Chemists Association.
“Other than that, common cough syrups, drugs used in tuberculosis treatment, as well as vitamin C supplements that are prescribed to patients recovering from Covid-19, are also disappearing from the market owing to the heavy taxes imposed on them,” he added.
The same shortage is being witnessed in other major cities of the country.
Arshad Momand, President of Peshawar Drug Association said “the difference in supply and demand of coronavirus related medicines has triggered a stock-piling situation, where many pharmacies in Peshawar have allegedly started stocking up on drugs and raising market prices”.
“Currently, there is no check and balance in this regard and profiteers are trying to make the most of this brimming crisis. There is widespread shortage of Panadol and face-masks in Peshawar’s open market, much of which is the doing of local hoarders right under the nose of the region’s drug inspectors.”
Similar reports are also coming in from Lahore and Quetta, implying that the whole country is faced with a severe crisis of medicines, which will become a major challenge as the percentage of the spread of coronavirus infection among the locals is increasing with each passing day.
Local manufacturers argue that the lack of supply of raw materials has affected the production, which is why availability of drugs as per demand is not being met.
“There are some 40 drugs that are short in not just Lahore, but various cities across Punjab due to the surge in federal taxes. In addition to that, the depreciation of the rupee against the dollar and local inflation has also discouraged pharmaceutical companies from importing raw materials that are also subject to higher import levies now. The cumulative burden of this has fallen on the people of Punjab, who are struggling to find life-saving drugs amid a sixth spell of the coronavirus,” said a local pharmacist.
The crisis is a result of major duties of about 80 per cent on essentials items like marks, gloves and nebulizing machines.
“The current government has imposed a jaw-dropping 80 per cent duty on masks, 60 per cent on gloves and 30 per cent on nebulizing machines. Duty on masks and other items related to Covid-19 should be abolished immediately, while the SRO should be re-issued to make these essential items duty free,” said Muhammad Hanif Soomro, an Executive Member of the Healthcare Association of Pakistan.
Maharashtra
Anti-drug rally of Govindi Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Abu Asim Azmi

Mumbai: A massive anti-drug rally was taken out today under the leadership of Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi to draw attention to the serious problem of drug addiction and illegal drug trade in Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar assembly constituency and to create public awareness against it.
Thousands of workers and local citizens participated in the rally. Protesters took to the streets and demanded strict action against the illegal drug trade and appealed to the youth to stay away from drugs.
The main objective of the rally was to free the youth of the area from the clutches of drugs and to put pressure on the administration to stop this illegal trade. Abu Asim Azmi himself led the rally and stressed the need for immediate and strict action against the drug problem in the area. Not only party workers but also a large number of mothers, sisters, young and old citizens of the area participated in the demonstration, highlighting the seriousness of the problem.
The drug problem in Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar constituency has been a topic of discussion for many years and it is badly affecting the lives of local citizens. By organizing this rally, MLA Azmi has once again shown his determination to solve this important problem faced by the citizens of his constituency. Speaking on the occasion, MLA Abu Asim Azmi warned the administration: “Immediate and strict action should be taken against those involved in the illegal drug trade, otherwise the Samajwadi Party and the local citizens will intensify the protest.” The rally proved to be an important rally in drawing attention to the social and health problems of the Mankhurdshivaji Nagar area.
Maharashtra
A new police station should be established in Govandi Shivaji Nagar. Maharashtra SP leader Abu Asim Azmi demands from Police Commissioner Devin Bharti

abu aasim aazmi
Mumbai: Maharashtra Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Abu Asim Azmi has demanded the establishment of a new police station in Shivaji Nagar constituency from Mumbai Police Commissioner Devin Bharti. He said that the old police station has been shifted to Mahada, which makes it very difficult to reach the police station from the SMS company area and it takes half an hour to an hour. In such a situation, a new police station should be established in Shivaji Nagar constituency. There has been an increase in drug abuse, crimes and other incidents in Shivaji Nagar and Govindi areas, along with an increase in the population here. It is necessary to establish a police station in proportion to the population, while the presence of police stations and personnel is not there in proportion to the population. He said that Police Commissioner Devin Bharti has said that after the recruitment of police, the police station will be established and manpower will be deployed in the police stations. Along with this, Abu Asim Azmi has also accused the local administration of irregularities in the distribution of funds along with the establishment of the police station. He said that now the corporation and The BMC election has not been held, there are Samajwadi Party corporators here but they are not being provided funds, but whoever joins the Shinde group is provided funds, this is complete injustice and therefore the funds should be distributed equally. He said that the government has no concern with the slum areas, the police presence will remain in Walkashore, Malabar Hill and Cuffe Parade, but there is no police presence in the slum areas and there is a shortage of them, that is why the bat chowki that we have built with our own funds in Govindi is also empty, there is no police personnel in it.
Maharashtra
Conspiracy to defame Sameer Wankhede… serious accusation of protecting Cordelia Cruz from drug case, Judge Irfan Shaikh dismissed after disciplinary committee report

Mumbai: An attempt to defame former NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede has started once again. Now the latest case is the dismissal of Judge Irfan Sheikh, in which this allegation has been made against Sameer Wankhede. In the Cordelia Cruz case, instead of arresting Judge Irfan Sheikh, his team has saved the judge. Additional Metropolitan Magistrate Irfan Sheikh was then posted as a judge of the Splendid Court. He was currently serving as a judge of Palghar and Thana District. After serious allegations like misuse of office, use of seized drugs, hitting a taxi with his car on Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Marg while intoxicated, abusing his powers along with having disproportionate wealth, hiding his identity at Nair Hospital and registering a false and misleading address, and getting the car back without depositing it, the High Court has dismissed the judge from service under disciplinary action. When the judge was investigated in the case, the allegations were found to be true and Irfan Sheikh was dismissed from his job. There is no mention of the Cordelia Cruz drug case anywhere in it, but Sameer Wankhede is being accused of helping the judge. Sameer Wankhede has categorically denied this and said that there is no mention of the Cordelia Cruz drug case in the police report or the judicial committee report.
When the documents and copies were obtained in this regard, there was no mention of the Cordelia Cruise drug case. Sameer Wankhede is a constant target of Bollywood, so Shah Rukh Khan’s company Red Chillies Entertainment had prepared a series of bad Bollywood stories against him, against which Sameer Wankhede has filed a defamation case in the Delhi High Court and its hearing is likely to be held soon. The series of slander against Sameer Wankhede and his family has become long and this is the reason why the attempt to defame Sameer Wankhede has intensified in the Irfan Sheikh case as well, but Sameer Wankhede or the NCB team have no role or involvement in this matter.
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