ISLAMABAD, June 15: The government on Wednesday announced to launch a country-wide campaign for curbing the mushroom growth of quacks soon after the fiscal budget for 2005-06 is passed. This assurance was provided when the opposition in the National Assembly protested over the government’s apathy towards the rampant quackery clinics both in urban as well as rural areas of the country posing threat to the life and health of the common people.

The government in response admitted to the negative affects of the mushroom growth of quacks across the country and promised to launch a country-wide drive against them in cooperation with the district government.

Speaking on the issue which was raised through a calling attention notice by Fauzia Wahab, Begum Yasmin, Samia Akhtar and M. P. Bhindara, Federal Minister for Health Naseer Khan said the government was in the process of a comprehensive legislation to curb the menace of quackery from the country.

He admitted that there were lots of lobbies behind the protection of quacks. However, he said that it was extremely dangerous for people’s life and the government in collaboration with the people’s representative would launch a country-wide drive and also use media power to combat this hazard.

He also admitted that the quacks were giving misleading advertisements through the media which were playing havoc with the life of the common man. He said that the quacks through these advertisements promised to cure cancer, renal failure and other hazardous diseases by the use of steroids and antibiotics which when used without proper prescription were fatal for human health.

The minister agreed with a suggestion that the sale of drugs by pharmacists without a medical consultant’s prescription also needed to be curbed and promised to include the matter in the coming bill.

Earlier, through another calling attention notice, the members from the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal invited the attention of the Ministry of Frontier Regions towards the growing incidents of kidnapping for ransom and loss of human lives in the process.

The government assured that a complete report would be presented after investigating the whole matter.

Sabir Hussain Awan from Peshawar told the house that some gangs have emerged in federally administered areas adjacent to Peshawar and Kohat who kidnap people for ransom and kill them in some cases who deny payment of the desired amount.

Minister for Frontier Regions Sardar Rind sought 24 hours to come back with a complete report on the entire issue.

A minority member from the treasury benches, Gianchand Singh also informed the house that one of two Sikh boys kidnapped a month back was still not recovered.

Liaqat Baloch of the MMA, a co-mover, said the Federal Crime Rules, a legacy of British rule, were badly affecting the life of tribesmen which need to be rescinded since the political administration operating under them had ganged up with criminals against the peaceful citizens.