HYDERABAD, Aug 29: The Wholesale Chemist Council of Pakistan has threatened to boycott medicines of multinational and local companies, if they did not restore 15 per cent discount to wholesale chemists.

Speaking at a news conference at the Hyderabad Press Club here on Thursday, the general secretary of the council, Mohammad Hanif Memon, said 75,000 wholesalers of the country had unanimously decided to boycott medicines of 10 multinational and 10 national companies whose names will be announced by the council.

Supporting the decision of the Pakistan Wholesale Chemist Council on behalf of wholesale dealers of Hyderabad, he appealed to the president and the prime minister and the federal health minister to take notice of excesses of the medicine manufacturers towards wholesale dealers.

Mr Memon said multinational companies had manoeuvred to impose 15 per cent general sales tax (GST) on medicines but due to the efforts of the WCCP, the GST was abolished.

He said manufacturers had retaliated by stopping the discount of wholesale dealers although they were paying discount to the distributors.

He claimed 65 per cent of sale of multinational and local companies was done by wholesale dealers, yet they were being discriminated against in respect of discount.

He warned if any discount was not restored, all wholesale dealers would boycott products of multinational and local pharmaceuticals.

ADMISSION: The Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, announced on Friday that the admission branch of the university would remain open till 8pm on Saturday, Aug 30, for the convenience of applicants seeking admission to the first year MBBS and BDS.—Bureau