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High import duties trigger medicine shortage in Pakistan

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 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

Bandra Garib Nagar demolition drive: Case registered against account holder for spreading rumours on X account, accused of spreading religious hatred

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Mumbai: Cyber ​​Police has claimed to have registered a case against an X account holder for spreading rumours about demolition work in Mumbai’s Bandra Garib Nagar. According to details, a rumour was spread on an X account yesterday afternoon that there would be riots and violence during the demolition work in Bandra the next day as well. Cyber ​​Bandra has registered a case and started an investigation after the X account holder is accused of spreading hatred and unrest between two communities. The police are investigating the matter further.

Mumbai Police has appealed to citizens not to share any controversial and objectionable content on social media. Action will be taken against those who spread misleading propaganda and baseless rumors on social media. Along with this, the police have also requested to be careful in using social media. The police have asked citizens not to spread unverified information on social media without any verification. If anyone publishes such content or spreads it on social media, action will be taken against him. After this action by Mumbai Police, monitoring has also been started on social media. A rumor was spread on X that the situation in Bandra once again deteriorated after Friday prayers and the police had resorted to lathicharge. The police have taken action on this and a case has been registered on this X account.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai: Three gangsters arrested for selling weapons, major operation by Crime Branch, who is investigating the criminal activities of the three

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Mumbai: The Mumbai Crime Branch’s Anti-Money Laundering Squad has claimed to have arrested three criminals who were coming to sell weapons in Mumbai. Mumbai Crime Branch received information that three people were going to sell weapons near the public toilet on P. D. Mello Road near St. George’s Hospital in Mumbai. On this basis, the Crime Branch laid a trap here and claimed to have arrested the three and recovered three country-made pistol magazines and 45 live cartridges from their possession. All three have criminal cases registered against them. A murder case is also registered against them. Along with this, it is being investigated where these three got this pistol from and to whom they were going to sell it. Which gang do they belong to and who was their target. Along with this, it is also being investigated whether these miscreants are related to Lawrence Bishnoi or any other gang. Mumbai Police has registered a case against them under the Arms Act and the Mumbai Police Act for illegal sale of weapons. The three have been identified as 24-year-old Ghola Arbaaz Jhalawar, 34-year-old Jashanpreet Mangal Singh and 24-year-old Sukhwinder. The police have started further investigation in this case. Accused number one Arbaaz Jhalawar and Sukhwinder are absconding in a murder case since 2022. In this case, the police have arrested the accused and started investigation. This information was given by DCP Detection Raj Tilak Roshan at a press conference here. He said that this action has been taken on the instructions of Mumbai Police Commissioner Devin Bharti. Meanwhile, further investigation is underway in this matter.

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Maharashtra

Correction made by the Municipal Corporation in the application form for fire safety approval, important decision of the Additional Municipal Commissioner

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Necessary amendments have been made regarding Mumbai Fire Safety. Necessary amendments have been made in the relevant forms to clarify that “Temporary Fire Safety Approval” is a recommendation given at the stage of approval of building plan under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006 (Amendment 2026) and is not a “Fire Safety Certificate”. Accordingly, revised application forms have been prepared for new/altered construction, construction of additions/conversions, repair matters, final approval of fire safety as well as temporary constructions, this was informed by Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. Ashwani Joshi.

Under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006 (Amendment 2026), “Temporary Fire Safety Approval” is a recommendation given at the time of approval of the design of a building and before the actual construction commences, regarding compliance with fire prevention and life safety measures required under the Act. However, it has been found that “Temporary Fire Safety Approval” is in fact only a recommendation in nature, but is being treated as a “Fire Safety Certificate”. Therefore, necessary amendments have been made in the relevant form to clearly state the nature, purpose and its statutory limits and scope of the Temporary Fire Safety Approval. As per the said amendment, the above Fire Safety Approval shall be granted in accordance with the points and terms and conditions mentioned therein. Revised forms have been prepared in this regard. Changes have been made in the provisions of Provisional Fire Safety Approval for New/Altered Construction (N.C.O.), Provisional Fire Safety Approval for Additional/Alternate Construction (A.A.O.), Provisional Fire Safety Approval for Repairs in Additional/Alternate Construction, Fire Safety Approval for Fire AMP. Repairs in New/Modified Construction (N.C.A.), Final Fire Safety Approval and Provisional Fire Safety Approval for Temporary Constructions (T.C.) etc. Architects, Licensed Surveyors, Developers may take note of this, Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. Ashwini has appealed. Besides, Joshi has directed that the revised application forms be made available on the Municipal Corporation’s website https://www.mcgm.gov.in/irj/portal/anonymous immediately.

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