DERA ISMAIL KHAN, March 28: The Chemists and Druggists Association (CDA), NWFP, has rejected the general sales tax imposed on medicines, and threatened to stage protests if the levy is not withdrawn.

Provincial CDA Senior Vice-President Latif-ur-Rehman stated here at a meeting of the body on Wednesday. He termed the increase in prices unethical and cruel, which would affect the consumer/patient a lot.

D.I.Khan CDA Chairman Muhammad Ramzan, General-Secretary Abdul Aziz Shahid, other office-bearers and many distributors, chemists and druggists also attended the meeting.

Mr Rehman said pharmaceuticals were also allowed a three per cent raise in the prices of their products, and as such the actual increase in the prices reached to 18 per cent.

It was observed that the government had allowed total 22 per cent increase in the rates during the current year which was a record in the history of Pakistan, and it was done only to please the multinational companies.

He said bureaucracy was trying to defame and destabilize the present government through its tactics.