CM Punjab orders indiscriminate crackdown against producing and selling spurious medicines

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that those producing and selling spurious medicines are enemies of humanity and indiscriminate crackdown against such elements should be continued. He said that no leniency will be shown against such elements as are playing with human lives and those involved in this heinous trade should be in jail. He said that he will go to any extent against the producers and sellers of spurious medicines.

The Chief Minister expressed these views while presiding over a high level meeting through video link at Civil Secretariat, here today which reviewed in detail the ongoing crackdown against production and sale of spurious and substandard medicines.

Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister said that this heinous trade of playing with human lives will be checked at any cost. He said that deterrent action will be taken against the owners of factories producing spurious medicines to control this heinous business on permanent basis.

The Chief Minister directed the concerned authorities to immediately fill the vacancies of drug inspectors in the province whereas immediate measures should be taken for the recruitment of drug inspectors against the new vacancies and recruitments in this regard through NTS should be considered.

He said that an autonomous drug authority will be set up in Punjab and necessary steps should immediately be taken in this regard. He directed that the process of outsourcing of drug testing labs of Lahore, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi should be accelerated. Shahbaz Sharif directed that indiscriminate action should be taken against everyone involved in the production of spurious medicines as such elements deserve maximum punishment and the government will deal with them with an iron hand.

The Chief Minister directed that regular inspection of factories producing medicines should be undertaken and implementation of all standards with regard to production of medicines and their supply should be ensured. He issued instructions for implementation of drug inspection monitoring system and said that the scope of digital system started from Lahore should be extended to all districts of the province.

The Chief Minister appreciated the efficiency of the taskforce authorities especially Parliamentary Secretary Kh. Imran Nazir and Qazi Adnan Farid MPA regarding effective action against spurious drugs and said that those showing good performance will be encouraged while those guilty of negligence or dereliction of duty will be held accountable.

Secretary Health Punjab gave a detailed briefing about the performance of the taskforce regarding crackdown against spurious drugs.

Advisor on Health Kh. Salman Rafiq, Parliamentary Secretary Health Kh. Imran Nazir, Chief Secretary, Inspector General Police, Assembly Members Adnan Farid, Dr. Nadia Aziz and concerned authorities attended the meeting.