Khawaja Shahzeb Akram, SVP FPCCI, said that another inflation bomb has been dropped on the people by the government. The government has also imposed a tax on medicines, which will make the availability of medicines to the general public impossible. He was addressing an emergency meeting with officials of Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Distributors at the FPCCI Regional Office, Lahore.
Khawaja Shahzeb Akram said that with this move of the government, medicines will also became out of reach of common man. The government has introduced a complex tax system in Budget 2021-22; which is not feasible; and, as a result, retailers are not buying drugs. Due to non-purchase of medicines by the retailers, medicines were not available in the market.
On this occasion, officials of Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Distributors said that if the government does not provide relaxations in the new tax system, it will not be implemented.
Khawaja Shahzeb Akram said lack of sales of medicines – due to the new tax system – there is a huge risk of non-availability of medicines in the market. He maintained that he strongly condemns the increase in prices of medicines – due to new tax system for pharmaceutical industry – after electricity and gas prices.
He added that the government has not provided any relief to the common man in the current budget. He further said that the government has given the job of FBR to the business people and the government should immediately take back this tax.
The meeting was also attended by Mian Khalid Misbah-ur-Rehman – Senior Vice Chairman of PPMA; Hamid Raza – Convener, FPCCI’s Regional Standing Committee on Pharmaceuticals. Additionally, Adeel Haider, Dr. Faisal, Shahid Malik, Rafaqat Ali, Chaudhry Muhammad Yaseen and others also attended the meeting; and, provided their feedback.
