LAHORE-  The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday rejected a resolution moved by opposition legislator regarding hefty increase in the prices of medicines. Counting pro-public initiatives of Punjab government in the health sector, Minister Health Dr Yasmin Rashid accused the previous regime of increasing prices of drugs several times. 

The session started one hour and 42 minutes behind the scheduled time with Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari in the chair. 

Answers relating to Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department were given by relevant Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid during the question hour. 

The House rejected the resolution moved by PML-N’s female legislator Aneeza Fatima that condemned increase in prices of 94 essential drugs and demanded the federal government to withdraw the same.  

In the resolution, Aneeza alleged that medicines treating cancer, cardiac ailment have been raised that have put enormous burden on already overburdened poor people. She said that prices have been raised four times to benefit drug manufacturers. 

She accused the government of giving NRO to drug mafia. She demanded the government to withdraw recent increase in prices of lifesaving drugs. 

Supporting his colleague on the opposition benches, PML-N’s Sami Ullah Khan accused the present regime of raising prices of medicines by 300 per cent during short span of two years. 

He recalled that Prime Minister Imran Khan took notice of increase in the prices of medicines and removed Amir Kiani. 

Later, he said, Amir Kiani was made General Secretary of the party. He said that Dr Zafar Mirza and Dr Faisal Sultan followed the footsteps of their predecessor and continued taking medicines out of the reach of ailing humanity. 

Opposing the resolution, Dr Yasmin Rashid said that prices of medicines were increased by the PML-N government several times. She said that the present regime provided free of cost medicines to the heart patients throughout the province. 

She said that PTI government had distributed health card to 5.2 million families. 

She said that patients were benefitting from health cards and free medicines. She said that government had spent Rs32 billion for the provision of medicines.  

Earlier, Fateha was offered for the departed soul of religious scholar and head of Karachi’s Jamia Farooqia seminary Maulana Dr Adil Khan, who was shot dead along with his driver in a targeted attack .

On completion of agenda, the chair prorouged the session.