Surgical masks price issue: Law officer directed to seek instruction from Centre

LAHORE :The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan on Wednesday informed the Lahore High Court that fixing prices of surgical masks or medical devices did not fall under its authority and the federal government could take a decision on their prices.

A representative of DRAP appeared before Chief Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh and told him that the authority regulates the import and export, manufacturing and registration of medical devices, including personal protective equipment; mask, gloves and gowns, etc. He submitted that DRAP did not fix or control the price of personal protective equipment or regulate its sale. However, Punjab additional secretary (drug control), Primary and Secondary Healthcare, differed with DRAP and submitted that import, export, registration, manufacturing, licensing and fixing prices of medical equipment are functions of DRAP and federal government. The provincial government only ensured the sale of masks and other medical devices at the prices fixed by DRAP. In view of the divergent views of the two authorities, the court directed a deputy attorney general to seek instruction from the federal government and apprise it by March 5.

Judicial Activism Panel Chairman Advocate Azhar Siddique filed the petition saying the surgical masks were not available in market and had been hoarded by certain wholesale dealers to gain monitory benefit in a crisis-like situation due to coronavirus.