Sindh governor urges need to focus on export of pharmaceutical products

KARACHI: Sindh Governor Imran Ismail urged on Tuesday the need to focus on the export of pharmaceutical products as he believes that it could be worth more than textiles if efforts are put into the sector.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision of Ehsaas health card will provide medical cover to millions of people and also boost the pharmaceutical industry,” said the governor while inaugurating the three-day Pak Pharma and Healthcare Exhibition.

The exhibition has been organised by Prime Event Management in collaboration with Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA).

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Director Prime Event Kamran Abbasi, Chairman PPMA Mansoor Dilawar, President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Muhammad Idrees, MC Members KCCI Zia-ul-Arfeen, Muhammad Arif Lakhani, Asim Ijaz, Abu Bakar Shamsi, Nasir Riaz Anwar, Tanveer Barry, Amir Churra and Qamar Usman were also present on the occasion.

Governor Imran Ismail visited various stalls of the exhibition and also spoke to the exhibitors.

The governor assured the pharmaceutical industry that all their problems, including export issues, would be resolved “amicably”. He assured them that the development of this industry was part of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision.

“At present, pharma exports stand at $300 billion, which could increase further,” he said.

The governor said that Ehsaas Health Card is an unprecedented programme as those people who could not even buy medicine were now getting free and quality treatment facilities.

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Ismail claimed that medicine prices in Pakistan were the lowest in the region and could be much cheaper if the raw material was not imported.

The governor also shared that the new law banning benefits given by big pharma companies to doctors help the patients.

When asked by a reporter about the increase in the price of petroleum products and medicines, he asked the journalist to name a country that had cheaper products than Pakistan.

“Past governments taxed the people, we reduced it. The government is not happy about making things expensive. It is a compulsion as Pakistan cannot afford more subsidies,” he told.

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In response to a question about leaked audio of former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, the Sindh governor said that the ‘video and Calibri queen’ lie blatantly but were caught all the time.

“Audio plot against Saqib Nisar is full of lies and the higher judiciary should investigate it. There must be a forensic test of the audio tape,” said the governor