February 25, 2008	Monday	Safar 17, 1429

MULTAN, Feb 24: The Punjab Chemists and Druggists Association has announced a shutter down strike throughout the Punjab province on Feb 27 to protest the implementation of amended Punjab Drugs Rules, 2007.

The announcement was made here on Sunday at a convention of chemists’ retailers, wholesalers and distributors.

Earlier, retailers’ association patron Amanullah Lodhi expressed his apprehensions regarding complete strike and said that complete strike should be announced after forging consensus among all stakeholders because such a strike could create hurdles for the public at large.

Later, Abid Pirzada, who is general secretary of the retailers’ association, also announced their complete cooperation and announced that they would fully support the strike call given by distributors and wholesalers.

Lodhi termed the rules detrimental to their business activities and demanded that they should be implemented only on medical stores opening afresh.