February 03, 2008	Sunday	Muharram 24, 1429

TAXILA, Feb 2: Druggists and chemists of twin cities of Taxila and Wah Cantt on Saturday observed token strike against the enforcement of controversial Punjab Drugs Rules.

The strike call was given by Punjab Chemists Council (PCC). The medical stores remained closed for over two hours in Taxila and Wah Cantt.

The medical stores’ owners were demanding acceptance of their demands including withdrawal of new rules.

Talking to newsmen here President of druggists and chemists association Shahid Ali said on the call of Pakistan Chemists Retailers Association (PCRA) all medical store owners would observe February 7 as protest day against the rules.

He termed the enforcement of Drug Rules 2007 against the interest and basic rights of the chemists and the masses in the province. He said that chemist community would not accept the unlawful and unethical rules at any cost.

These rules are in breach to the spirit of its parent Drugs Act 1976, he said.

He said that the business of chemists/druggists (retailers, wholesalers and distributors of medicines), local pharmaceutical industry, comprising over 500 units in Punjab, was going to collapse with the enforcement of Drugs Rules 2007.

A crisis of availability of necessary drugs at affordable rates to the poor patients in the province appears to be imminent due to this, he said. “It will also badly affect the inter- provincial trade of medicines in the country,” he added.

He alleged that the Punjab government under the leadership of the then Chief Minister, Ch Pervaiz Elahi, had enforced Drugs Rules 2007 after revoking Drugs Rules 1988 to oblige favourites at the cost of 75,000 drug stores owners and their families in the province. He said that the entire system of supply and distribution of medicines would go into the hands of multinational companies.