RAWALPINDI, Aug 5: The government has issued orders for removal of pharmacies from hospitals.

Federal health minister Dr Abdul Malik Kasi made this statement at a meeting with businessmen at the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI). The meeting was presided over by RCCI president Sohail Sethi and also attended by former RCCI presidents Sohail Altaf and Sabir Butt, Central Traders Union president Sheikh Siddiq, DHQ Hospital MS Dr Zubair and executive members of RCCI.

The minister assured the businessmen that the government would review imposition of General Sales Tax (GST) on medicines.

He said the government’s efforts had enabled it to export medicines to 50 countries. He said the powers of drug inspectors had been curtailed and they could now award a sentence only after ministry’s approval.

He said that taxes in our country were far less as compared to developed countries.

He observed that laws had been introduced to disallow use of syringe for the second time and to make the screening of blood mandatory during transfusion.

In his opening remarks, Mr Sethi demanded that all medicines should be exempted from GST because nobody could differentiate life-saving drugs from simple drugs. The government is also facing problems in preparing the list of life-saving drugs, he claimed.

He said that taxpayers should be given preference in hospitals.

He said the RCCI fully backed the devolution plan.

He said: “Pakistan has made progress in pharmaceuticals and is now importing just 42 medicines from abroad as compared to 80 per cent in the past.”

He urged the government to implement a system of checks and balances for promoting economic activities in the region. He said drug inspectors’ powers should be curtailed to ensure progress of laboratories in the country.

Mr Sethi said the Drugs Act and duty drawback system should be reviewed and duty-free import of equipment allowed for research and development.

He later presented the chambers’ insignia to the minister and Dr Zubair.