Islamabad : As life – saving drug prices are being increased in Pakistan by a mafia -cum manufacturers, which was granted a free hand through de – controlling for increasing the drug prices, the poor of this country are not in a position to buy medicines for their sick family members.
It was Anwaar Haw Kakar ‘s regime whose cabinet approved decontrolling of life-saving drug prices. Anwaarul Haq Kakar, as a caretaker prime minister of Pakistan , was not supposed to take such a decision . The issue was very critical and involved lives of 250 million people of Pakistan . His interest prevailed over public and state interest to go for an illegal and unconstitutional act of de- controlling the life – saving drug prices.
Since Anwarul Haq Kakar was a caretaker, the constitution of Pakistan barred him from taking a decision like de-;controlling of life – saving drugs. But since Kakar knew the art of going extra milage to protect his personal interest , he violated the constitution and the law, both , to make satisfaction that his desirous interest was met by de – controlling of drug prices.
NEWSMAN has credible information that the drug mafia made several attempts in the past as well to get prices of life-saving drugs de- controlled , but every elected prime minister and his cabinet avoided its approval mostly for two reasons. One , it was an anti people move and could add to miseries of the patients and their guardians as they might be having some sense of mercy for the people . Second , de – controlling needed amendment in the Drug Act 1976 which was a job of the elected government having majority in the parliament. But for Anwaarul Haq Kakar neither constitution nor law of the land had any sanctity. He dared to go for de – controlling of drugs in sheer violation of constitution and the law of this land. His interest seemed over and above the lives of the people and national interest. By granting favour of de – controlling of drugs might have made his desire or lust for anything fulfilled, but his action, of course , illegal and unconstitutional has made the people’s lives in Pakistan miserable. Today , its very.difficult for even a lower middle class to buy medicines for its any sick member. It shows 70 % families, who live under poverty line , can not even afford to go to any pharmacy to buy medicines for their sick family member. In de, – controlled regime , drug mafia is making money as much as it wants by increasing drug prices.
Unfortunately , the present government is also not investigating as to why Kakar rule de – controlled drug prices. It seems that looting by mafia in de- controlled drug prices is not a priority of the present government. Had it been otherwise , it would have investigated the matter and fixed its characters.
Young pharmacists Association (YPA) is fighting against this mafia all alone. It has once again pinpointed majority of those characters who played a role in de – controlling of drug prices. It has brought the matter into the notice of the prime minister for correction and saving the people of Pakistan from drug mafia . Let us see the prime minister takes out some time for looking into the issue in debate or not.
In its letter , YPA said anti-Pakistan DRAP Officials are continuously deceiving prime minister, Federal & Provincial cabinets and parliament on medicine prices issue. Almost 4000% Price Increase has left the poor patients Helpless, it claimed.
In its letter to the prime minister , YDA said : “Respected Sir, A comparison of medicine prices fixed under the leadership of Mrs. Maryum Nawaz Sharif Chief Minister of Punjab Medicine Price list awarded on 26th July 2025 by Health Department Government of Punjab and very few Anti-Pakistan officials of Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan is given as under:
Sr. No.Medicine Generic Name
Punjab Government Rates of Medicines (Rs per unit)
26 July 2025
Available Brand in the Market
Price of Available Brand in the Market (Rs per unit)
Today in Market %age Difference
1-Monelukast 10mg tab Rs 3.07 , Singulair Rs 93 now Rs 3029.31
2 -Omeprazole 20mg Rs 1.7 , Losec 20mg 67.85 now Rs 3991.18.
3 – Esitalopram 10mg Rs 2.93 Cipralex 10mg Rs 100 and priced at Rs3412.97.
4 -Pregabalin 75mg cap 6.21 Lyrica 75 cap and now 143.67.
5- Atorvastatin 20mg tab 2.73 lipiget 20 mg now being sold for Rs 55
6- Ceftriaxine 1Gram Injection 78 Rocephin 1g now being sold for Rs 1244.
7- Tobramycin + dexamethsone ED 70 Tobradex ED 731 1044.29
8-Losartan potassium 50mg cap 2.9 Xavor 50mg 30.86 now being sold for Rs 1034.48
9- Fluconazole 150mg cap 39.51 Diflocan 150mg 620 is now priced at Rs 1569.22
10- Glimipride 2mg tab 1.37 Evopride 2mg 17.23 is being sold for Rs 1257.66 now.
11 Moxifloxacin 400mg inj 160 Avelox inj 2071 and its price surged to Rs 1294.38
12- Omprazole inj 40mg 53 Risek Inf 530 is available in the market for Rs 1000.00.
YPA said Mr. Asim Rauf, Mr. Obaidullah, Mr. Fakhruddin Amer, Mr. Bilal bin Akbar, Mr. Aamar Latif, Mr. Sayyad Hussain, Mr. Ajmal Sohail, Mr. Akhtar Abbas, Mr. Zeeshan Nazir, Babar Khan, Amanullah, Ajmal Sohail etc. anti-Pakistan officials of DRAP have evil mindedly decontrolled the medicine prices on 6 February 2024. Wherein, under section 12 of Drugs Act 1976, there is mandatory control of Federal Government on Medicine Prices. The above list is showing that there is almost 4000% price difference. Poor Pakistanis are dying due non-affordability of life saving medicines.
It claimed that off-shore bribe was given by large pharmaceutical companies of Pakistan to Mr. Asim Rauf, Mr. Obaidullah, Mr. Fakhruddin Amer, Mr. Bilal bin Akbar, Mr. Aamar Latif, Mr. Sayyad Hussain, Mr. Ajmal Sohail, Mr. Akhtar Abbas, Mr. Zeeshan Nazir, Babar Khan, Amanullah, Ajmal Sohail etc. anti-Pakistan officials of DRAP to deceived government, federal & provincial cabinets, prime minister, army chief, chief justice, parliament and they removed the mandatory government control on medicine prices and poor patients are at the mercy of brutal pharmaceutical companies”.