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
Two men arrested for forcibly pulling a woman’s gold chain and fleeing in Kandivali, a case of theft registered against both

On October 6, in the jurisdiction of the Kandivali Police Station, an elderly woman was walking home from the market. Under the pretext of helping her cross the road, unidentified thieves followed her close to her home; while she was seated, they forcibly snatched the gold chain from her neck and fled. Based on the complainant’s statement, the Kandivali Police registered a case (Case No. 1450/2026) under Section 309(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. The stolen item was an antique gold chain, weighing approximately 17 grams and valued at Rs. 2,00,000.
Under the guidance of the DCP (Zone 2), the Kandivali Police formed three teams to track down the suspects. The officers and personnel conducted a technical investigation at the crime scene and the surrounding area. During this process, the Kandivali Police team learned that a case of motorcycle theft had been registered at the Kasturba Marg Police Station (Case No. 760/2026, under Section 303(2) of the BNS). A police team was subsequently formed at the Kasturba Marg Police Station to investigate that case as well.
Following this, four separate teams from the Kandivali and Kasturba Marg Police Stations—utilizing technical investigation methods and information from informants—identified the suspects wanted in connection with these crimes. On November 9, information was received that the wanted suspects were expected to arrive in the vicinity of Dadar Railway Station that night. Acting on the aforementioned information, police set a trap at Dadar Railway Station and, following a skillful investigation, took both suspects into custody. The suspects are Pramod Prabhakar Jatar (43, unemployed, residing at Room No. 07, 4th Floor, Sunshine Garden, Nalasopara East, Palghar District) and Mohammad Shahid Alauddin Khan (47, a tempo driver, residing at Azad Nagar, Gate No. 08, Ambojwadi, Malwani, Malad, Mumbai). Further interrogation regarding the crime revealed their involvement, leading to their formal arrest. During the investigation, police recovered a gold chain (weighing approximately 17 grams, valued at Rs. 2,00,000) that had been forcibly stolen, as well as the motorcycle used to commit the crime—a vehicle that had previously been reported stolen from the jurisdiction of the Kasturba Marg Police Station.
The investigation teams from the Kandivali and Kasturba Marg Police Stations demonstrated commendable performance; through tireless effort and professional skill—from the initial registration of the case to its resolution—they have fostered a sense of security among the public and enhanced the image of the Mumbai Police.
This operation was carried out under the guidance of Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, Joint Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Sharma, Additional Commissioner Shashi Kumar Meena, and DCP Sandeep Ghuge.
Maharashtra
Kurla: Police alert after Vinod Pawar shot at Halaupal, personal enmity suspected. Additional Commissioner and DCP also at the scene, investigation underway.

Panic gripped the McDwala Compound in the Halavpul area of Kurla, Mumbai, when unidentified assailants opened fire on Vinod Pawar. The attack, carried out by unknown assailants—identified as his rivals—occurred at 12:40 PM, leaving Vinod severely injured. He was admitted to the nearby Bhabha Hospital, where his condition is reported to be critical. The assailants did not target Vinod alone; they also fired shots into the ground. Following the incident, the police registered a case and launched an investigation. DCP Ganesh Shinde and Additional Commissioner of Police (East Region) Dhananjay Kulkarni inspected the crime scene, and a forensic team has been called in to assist with the investigation. Preliminary inquiries suggest that the shooting was the result of an old enmity involving Vinod Pawar; the police are now examining every aspect of the case. DCP Ganesh Shinde stated that the incident took place within the jurisdiction of the V.B. Nagar Police Station at 12:40 PM, where 40-year-old Vinod Ellappa Pawar was fired upon by his rivals due to a long-standing feud. The injured Vinod Pawar has been admitted to a nearby hospital. Police sources stated that a shooting incident had occurred here previously as well, and now a second such incident has taken place; consequently, the police have issued an alert. The matter is being investigated from every angle. DCP Ganesh Shinde has begun questioning individuals in the area, including eyewitnesses. Since the incident took place in broad daylight, evidence—including CCTV footage and other relevant documentation—has been collected.
General
India condemns misleading content created by Chinese vloggers, deliberate distortion of geographical locations

New Delhi : India on Tuesday severely condemned attempts being made by the Chinese vloggers to portray impoverished neighbourhoods in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka as New Delhi through misleading content, saying such efforts to peddle false narratives undermine the credibility of those undertaking and backing them. Addressing a bi-weekly press briefing in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal urged the authorities concerned to take action against those involved.
“We have seen media reports in this regard. Such efforts to present a distorted picture of any country are unfortunate. Insofar as efforts to buy foreign elements to portray Dhaka as Delhi are concerned, the peddling of false narratives only undermines the credibility of those who are undertaking such actions and those who are behind them. And we would urge the authorities concerned to take action against such people,” he said.
The remarks came amid reports that over 150 Chinese nationals have been filming and livestreaming from economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods of Dhaka, falsely depicting them as parts of New Delhi.
While recording footage from these locations, they made disparaging comments about India’s living standards, sanitation, food habits, and poverty.
The misleading portrayal has sparked concerns over the deliberate distortion of geographical locations and the possible use of deceptive online content to create negative perceptions about India among international audiences.
The incident underscored the growing threat posed by misinformation and manipulated content on social media, where sensationalised posts can spread widely before their authenticity is established.
The activities have reportedly been taking place in Dhaka’s Tekpara and Uttara areas for several months, with streamers remaining active from early morning until late at night.
One Chinese woman identified as ‘Mianmian’, who claimed to be from China’s Sichuan province, livestreamed from beside a canal in Uttara Sector 12 of Dhaka on November 1. She reportedly presented the area to her online audience as New Delhi and described the residential buildings and surrounding areas as dirty, underdeveloped, and unhygienic.
“This is New Delhi. Their homes are extremely dirty. There isn’t even a fan inside the tin-roofed houses. This place is quite underdeveloped, dirty and unhygienic, and the law-and-order situation is poor,” leading Bangladeshi daily ‘Prothom Alo’ quoted her as saying.
In another instance, a Chinese national was seen live streaming from tea stalls in the Tekpara locality of Dhaka, making the offensive remarks that the tea consumed by locals was made using “cow urine”.
“Look, they are drinking tea. Do you know what kind of tea this is? This is cow urine tea. They drink cow urine tea,” Prothom Alo quoted him as saying.
The footage also contained derogatory comments on the residents’ lifestyles, with repeated references to poor hygiene, lack of sanitation, and substandard living conditions.
These are not isolated incidents, as reports of Chinese content creators recording videos in Dhaka’s underprivileged neighbourhoods have been emerging since May 2026.
The recurring pattern of Chinese content creators repeatedly filming in the same low-income neighbourhoods, along with allegations of geographical misrepresentation and intrusive filming, raises concerns about attempts to undermine India’s image internationally.
These recent developments point to a coordinated anti-India campaign. The issue is not merely the recording of impoverished neighbourhoods, but the calculated misrepresentation of locations in another country as parts of India, coupled with disparaging remarks intended to influence how international audiences perceive Indian society.
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