PESHAWAR, Aug 21: The Pakistan Chemists and Druggists Association (PCDA) has expressed concern over the delaying tactics adopted by the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) to issue the new list of life saving drugs (LSDs).

Talking to Dawn here on Wednesday, PCDA Peshawar chapter Chairman Arbab Javid Ahmad said the ministry of health, on the directives of President Gen Pervez Musharraf had prepared a list of LSDs comprising 480 drugs. The list, he said, had been sent to the CBR for final approval on July 19 but lamented that the officials concerned at the CBR were reluctant to issue the new list. This, he said, was apparently being done at the behest of the IMF.

He expressed his surprise over the clout of the officials of the CBR who, despite clear directives of President Musharraf, were using delaying tactics in issuance of the list.

He appreciated the government to exempt LSDs from the 15 per cent general sales tax (GST) but asked the CBR to issue directives to the CBR to issue the new list of LSDs and provide relief to the common people.

The government, which levied 15 per cent GST on all forms of drugs on March 20, 2002, later exempted some 256 drugs identified as the LSDs from the GST following the protest demonstrations by the chemists all over the country.

However, the chemists are still struggling to get all the drugs exempted from the levy. They argue that there is no country in the world which has imposed GST on drugs and food items.