Lahore:: In a crucial hearing held at the Lahore High Court under the supervision of Justice Muhammad Reza Qureshi, the issue of drug price control in Pakistan remains unresolved as the Federal Government and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) requested additional time to submit their response.
Pharmacist Advocate Noor Muhammad Mahar while addressing the media outside the courtroom, strongly criticized DRAP, alleging that the authority has aligned itself with the pharmaceutical mafia rather than safeguarding the interests of patients.
“Every day in Pakistan, hundreds of patients lose their lives simply because they cannot afford expensive and exorbitantly priced medicines. With the deregulation of drug prices, the entire system has been handed over to the whims of pharmaceutical companies and distributors — an outright injustice,” said Noor Mahar
He further condemned both the federal and provincial governments for their silence and negligence regarding the skyrocketing medicine prices, calling it “a brutal betrayal of the sick and vulnerable.”
It should be noted that the caretaker Kakar-led government issued a notification on February 18, 2024, to deregulate drug prices. However, the Lahore High Court suspended the order through a stay. The current Shehbaz Sharif government attempted to uphold the caretaker decision on May 30, 2024 — a move that was legally challenged by Advocate Noor Muhammad Mahar and Advocate Nadeem Sarwar.
During the latest hearing on April 15, 2025, the government once again failed to present a concrete position and sought more time from the court.
“Pakistan Drug Lawyers Forum will raise its voice on every platform if the deregulation of drug prices continues. The state should act like a compassionate mother, but in the case of medicine pricing, the treatment of patients has been no less than that of a neglected stepchild,” added Noor Mahar
