KARACHI, May 9: The Sindh Health Minister, Shabbir Ahmed Qaimkhani, on Tuesday gave a 10-day deadline to traders of fake medicines to close down their businesses or face stern action. Addressing a meeting at his office, he said the dealers of fake medicines would be arrested and given seven-year terms and fines of up to Rs0.5 million.

He asked the health department’s officials to take a coordinated and well-planned action against the sellers of fake medicines and unregistered blood banks in the province.

He said a firm action against these anti-people elements should be taken regardless of their social and political status. He said this anti-human trade was needed to be completely uprooted.

Mr Qaimkhani said that besides fake medicines, the sale of expired medicines in the interior of Sindh was also a major issue.

He said, not only in interior Sindh, but many big stores in bigger cities of the province too were selling fake drugs. The noose would be tightened around them as well, he said.

Secretary Health Naushad Shaikh, Additional Secretary Health Abdul Majid, Additional IGP Saleem Tariq, Law Secretary Ghulam Nabi Shah, Additional Secretary Home Tanveer Ahmed and Secretary Sindh Quality Control Board Saleem Ishrat Hussain were also present.—PPI