The major operations of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Peshawar Zone are currently underway against the fake drug manufacturers and sellers as six inquiries have been registered against the elements involved in the sale of fake medicines. According to the agency’s spokesman, the raids were conducted by Composite Circle Mardan and Abbottabad, at various medical stores located in Thakot, Battagram, Abbottabad, Topi, and Swabi. The authorities recovered a large number of fake and unregistered medicines during the raids, while the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) authorities sealed fake and unregistered medicines on the spot and sent them to the laboratory. Meanwhile, several medical stores were also sealed and inquiries have been registered against the accused.
As claimed, special raiding teams have been constituted by the FIA in all circles to launch a nationwide crackdown against the sale of fake and unregistered medicines in all parts of the country.Like all other sectors of our national economy, the health sector, and the pharmaceutical industry have been struck into professional theft, dishonesty, mingling, and impurification of the products in greed for money and rush to be rich in a short period. Unfortunately, human life has become one of the cheapest things in today’s Pakistan, wherein outdated items and fake medicines are being supplied in replace of precious life-saving drugs to heart, and diabetes patients, and sick persons on death beds embattled with cancer, kidney dialysis, and other chronic diseases. Although, such social evils are common in other societies but the matter becomes worse when our LEAs and concerned departments fail to implement government policies and court orders relating to governance, regulation, and writ of the law/ government in the country.
A similar campaign was launched by the DRAP in collaboration with the Police and the FIA in September 2022, during which several dozen culprits were arrested, numerous shops were sealed, and heavy fines were imposed on miscreants. Unfortunately, crimes have grown many folds and the current situation is worse than ever before, which shows a weakness on the part of the government, impunity of the criminals, and malignance of our national institutions which always failed in fulfillment of their primary responsibility throughout history. Substandard medicines, hoarding, smuggling, price hikes, black marketing of life-saving drugs, and nonavailability of essential medicines are common practices in the pharmaceutical industry and medicine suppliers in all parts of the country. There is an urgent need for concerted efforts to safeguard public health by ensuring that only genuine and registered medications reach the population. The concerned authorities must implement the first crime last policy and no miscreants ever escape strong punishments from the government which is the essence of successful regulation and a guarantee for no crime in the society.
