MIANWALI, Feb 17: Life saving drugs have disappeared from the market as a distributor has been 'smuggling' these medicines to other cities for high profit or sell them in black market.

This was alleged by Chemists Association general secretary Muhammad Nawaz while talking to reporters here on Thursday. He claimed that a local distributor has created artificial shortage and the patients, particularly with cardiovascular problems, have to buy medicines in black market.

When contacted, Hashim Khan, the owner of a distribution company, said Glaxo provided these medicines in a limited quantity. Meanwhile, patients have appealed to the manufacturers of life saving medicine and law enforcing agencies to look into the matter and take steps to provide the drugs at control rates.

SLAUGHTERHOUSE: The city of 1.2 million people has no slaughterhouse. Butchers slaughter animals in their homes and throw their hides in streets. Moreover, in the absence of any check, they usually slaughter ill or old animals.