Reply sought on plea against high prices of masks, drugs

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday again sought reply from Drug Regulatory Authority Pakistan (DRAP) on a petition against sale of surgical facemasks, temperature guns, plasma and life-saving drugs at an exorbitant price in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.

Justice Sajid Mehmood Sethi was hearing a petition filed by chairman Judicial Activism Panel Advocate Azhar Siddique, pleading that coronavirus had been spreading rapidly in the country but the prices of sanitizers and masks and other items had skyrocketed.

A law officer told the court that DRAP required more time to file reply hence the court adjourned hearing till June 22. The petitioner pleaded that the price of one packet of Chloroquine tablet has reached Rs 3,000 while lifesaving injection Acterma’s price has gone up to Rs one million. He said plasma which recovered patients donated free of cost had been sold at high price. Likewise, temperature gun’s price had risen to Rs 22,000 while N-95 mask is being sold at Rs 700.

The petitioner contended that DRAP had failed to control the prices of these items and requested the court to take action against the responsible and bring the price of these essential drugs and item to affordable level. {C}id: “Contrary to the suggestions of the whole world our prime minister opted for smart lockdown and we can see the adverse results of smart lockdown. The government is fighting with the opposition instead of fighting corona. The prime minister has only one job to say bad things about opposition.”