ISLAMABAD, March 30: The Consumer Rights Commission of Pakistan (CRCP), expressing partial satisfaction over the decision to withdraw the General Sales Tax (GST) on life-saving drugs, has impressed upon the government to withdraw tax on all medicines instead of only on life-saving drugs.

It said the government should consider the issue in broader perspective, taking into account the overall impact on consumers, instead of harnessing the medicines as a source of revenue.

In a statement, Mian Abrar Hafeez, General Secretary of the CRCP, said: “We appreciate that the government has paid a heed to the concerns of the stakeholders, but this is not enough because the medicines other than life-saving are used in large quantities and more frequently.

“We shall continue the campaign against the decision till all the medicines are exempted from the said tax,” said the CRCP spokesman.

As far as the committee constituted to review the GST was concerned, the CRCP spokesman expressed serious reservations that it meant that the government did not intend to withdraw the GST on all medicines but only on a few exemptions.

He emphasised that the committee should proceed in a transparent and participatory way ensuring participation of all stakeholders in the process.— Staff Repoter