LAHORE: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh on Friday sought reports from federal and provincial governments and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) on reportedly shortage of surgical masks in market and their sale on exorbitant prices.

Hearing a petition on the matter, the chief justice observed that apparently the surgical masks had been vanished from all hospitals and medical stores in wake of coronavirus.

A provincial law officer stated that the government constituted inspection teams to check the shortage of the masks and to ensure their availability in market.

CJ Sheikh summoned concerned officials of the governments and the Drap on March 2.

Judicial Activism Panel’s chairman Advocate Azhar Siddique filed the petition saying the surgical masks were not available in market and had been hoarded by certain whole sale dealers to gain monitory benefit in a crisis like situation due to coronavirus.

He said if the masks were not made available in the market, it would amount to exploitation of the citizens and would ultimately cause an extraordinary burden on them.

The petitioner-lawyer argued that the Drap had been playing the role of a silent spectator as it took no measure to control the prices, forcing people to buy it at higher price.

He sought a court’s order to the Drap and other authorities to control prices of surgical masks and take strict action against the elements involved in its hoarding and profiteering.

Published in Dawn, February 29th, 2020