KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday refused to accept requests by drug manufacturing companies seeking a restraint order against drug inspectors in the wake of medicines’ price hike.
During the hearing, the court remarked that it couldn’t stop drug inspectors from raids without hearing their version.
The manufacturers said drug inspectors were seizing their stock on pretext of price hike. “They have stopped us from medicines’ production,” said the petitioners.
Drug inspectors, when questioned by the court, said action was underway countrywide and it was not just related to one city.
They said the drug manufacturing companies increased prices of medicines to a large extent and in violation of the rules. They informed that the matter was also raised by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and it’s also sub-judice in another court.
The SHC bench said the matter could be looked once decision of a similar pending case was announced.
On April 6, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan had launched a countrywide crackdown against the pharmaceutical companies over unauthorised and illegal hike in prices of medicines.