KARACHI: A huge consignment of active/inactive pharmaceutical ingredients, imported by local companies from India are stuck up at port awaiting no objection certificates (NOC) from the Drug Regulatory Autho­rity of Pakistan (Drap).

Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufac­turers Association (PPMA), in a letter to Minister for National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination Division Dr Faisal Sultan on August 5 said that 300 consignments are stuck up at port which may be affected due to heavy rains, moisture and high temperature. The PPMA said that the commerce ministry on July 16 had already allowed import of therapeutic products from India.

The association urged the Ministry of National Health Services to advise Drap to issue necessary NOCs.

PPMA former chairman Dr Kaiser Waheed said that 300 consignments had been stuck up for more than 20 days. Non-clearance of the ingredients may create serious problems for companies who have limited stocks besides interrupting regular production of medicines, he added.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2020