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
Case registered against speeding car drivers on Marine Drive Coastal Road

Mumbai: The Marine Drive Police have registered a case against 6 to 7 unidentified car drivers for endangering their own lives and the lives of others by driving at high speeds and in a reckless manner on the southbound stretch of the Coastal Road. A Mumbaikar named Sana Khan recorded a video of the speeding drivers and posted it on social media, prompting the police to take action.
According to the police, the incident occurred around 11:15 PM on the night of September 3, 2026, on the southbound Coastal Road near Marine Drive. The complainant, Satish Nivrutti Sangle (42), is a police constable attached to the Marine Drive Police Station.
It was reported that unidentified drivers of approximately 6 to 7 cars—colored yellow, red, and others—drove at high speeds without adhering to traffic regulations, thereby endangering their own lives and the lives of others.
Based on the complaint, the police have registered a case (Crime Register No. 341/26) under Sections 281 and 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 184 of the Motor Vehicles Act. The case was registered at 10:55 PM on September 4, 2026.
No arrests have been made so far. The police have identified the vehicles involved, and proceedings to seize them are underway. Further legal action against the unidentified drivers is in progress. Sana Khan is a journalist by profession and has previously served as a journalism professor.
Sana Khan recounts that while she was out for a drive with her family, cars suddenly sped past her in a terrifying manner inside the coastal tunnel; while the standard speed limit there is 60 km/h, these vehicles were moving at a dangerously high, potentially lethal speed. She recorded a video of the incident and posted it on social media, prompting the police to take action. She expressed her gratitude to the Mumbai Police for treating the matter seriously, noting that strict action will now be taken against those who disregard the lives of others for the sake of their own amusement.
Maharashtra
Corporators of all parties in trouble! Corporators of all major parties including Shiv Sena (UBT), BJP and Congress are facing legal challenges.

Mumbai: Even after the results of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections were declared, the troubles of the winning candidates show no signs of abating. The defeated candidates in the elections have challenged the election of the winning corporators on various grounds. A total of 79 election petitions have been filed, according to information provided by the BMC to RTI activist Anil Gilgali. Meanwhile, the issue of election petitions has resurfaced after the recent cancellation of former mayor Visakha Raut’s post as a corporator. This shows that winning an election is not the final stage. Legal scrutiny of documents related to the election process such as affidavit details, caste certificates, and various declarations made by the candidate are equally important. Importantly, these petitions do not target councillors of any single party. Rather, challenges have been filed against corporators of all major parties in Mumbai. This raises questions about the legality and security of these councillors’ posts after the elections.
Objections from caste certificate to asset details
The petitions filed by defeated candidates raise several serious issues. These include objections to the validity of caste certificates, allegations of false or misleading information provided by the candidates, and disputes regarding disclosures about criminal cases, assets and financial affairs.
While contesting elections, candidates have to disclose personal, financial and legal information through an affidavit. If there are any inconsistencies or allegations of providing false information, legal action can be initiated. Thus, the entire matter highlights the crucial importance of every piece of information provided in election petitions and affidavits. Highest number of petitions against Shiv Sena (UBT). According to the data provided by the Municipal Corporation, a party-wise analysis shows that the maximum number of petitions have been filed against 24 corporators of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) faction.
This is followed by 16 petitions against BJP, 10 against Congress, and 7 against Shiv Sena (Shinde faction). Apart from this, 5 petitions have been filed against AIMIM, 2 against MNS and 1 against Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Election of 5 corporators annulled
Out of a total of 79 petitions, negative decisions have been passed against 5 corporators so far, resulting in their elections being annulled. These include 2 from Shiv Sena (UBT), 2 from AIMIM, and 1 corporator from NCP.
This makes it clear that winning the election is not the final milestone. Factors ranging from the candidate’s nomination to the accuracy of the information provided in the affidavit and the accuracy of the documents related to the election process are also equally important.
Election transparency issue in the spotlight again
These figures have come to light from the information sought by RTI activist Anil Gilgli. It is essential that the information presented to voters by candidates who are elected as public representatives is accurate and factual. Any allegation of errors, inconsistencies, or concealment of facts can potentially affect the election results.
With 79 election petitions filed, the cancellation of the elections of 5 corporators, and the recent cancellation of the term of former Mayor Visakha Rawat, the issue of transparency regarding the nominations and affidavits of candidates in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections is once again in the spotlight.
All eyes in political circles are now on the decisions regarding the remaining petitions. If the elections of more corporators are called into question, it could change the numerical strength of various parties within the municipal corporation.
Despite winning through the mandate of the voters, the candidates find themselves facing judicial scrutiny. In this situation, a legal challenge has arisen regarding the election of corporators of all parties in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation.
Maharashtra
Man arrested in Mumbai, India, for promoting fake notes instead of genuine Indian notes

Date Mumbai On 6th September, Crime Branch Unit 2 Mumbai received confidential reliable information that a woman and a man were keeping fake Indian currency notes near Metro Cinema, Vasudev Balwant Phadke Chowk, Mumbai and were selling them for Rs. 2 lakh in exchange for real Indian currency notes for their own financial gain in India. A trap was laid by the Crime Branch Unit 2 police at the said location. During this, a woman was found with 270 fake notes at the said location. She said that she had received fake notes of Rs. 500/- from a person. At the same time, the said woman was found near Kurla station and 1848 fake notes of Rs. 500/- were found in her possession. In this way, a total of 2128 fake notes of Rs. 500/- were found worth Rs. 10,64,000/- and a case of fake notes under Case No. 198, 180, 69(2), 3(9) BNS 2023 was registered at the Metro Police Station and further investigation has been handed over to Crime Branch, Unit 2.
The above excellent performance has been carried out by Police Commissioner, Mumbai Devin Bharti, Police Joint Commissioner (Crime) Anil Kumbhare, Mr. Additional Police Commissioner (Crime) Krishan Kant Upadhyay, Police Deputy Commissioner (Detection) Raj Tilak Roshan, Assistant Police Commissioner, Division Dinkar Shalvat, Police Inspector in-charge of Crime Detection Branch, Unit-2, Police Inspector Dilip Tenalkar, Police Sub-Inspector Sankalp Mukashi, under the guidance of
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