Pakistan's drug makers threaten to close 600 factories across country next week

Islamabad [Pakistan], March 18 : Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) warned the Imran Khan-led government of closing around 600 pharma production units across the country next week over tax imposed on raw material.
During a press conference, PPMA chairman, Qazi Mohammad Mansoor Dilawar, said that the association strongly rejected the government's decision to impose 17 per cent sales tax on raw material of the medicines, Dawn reported on Friday.
He claimed that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government had given an assurance that the tax on purchase of raw material would be reimbursed, but it later refused to do so.
"The prices of a number of materials such as bottles, aluminium and impulse glass, as well as electricity and gas rates, were continuously rising and the government also imposed sales tax on them," Dilawar said quoted by Dawn newspaper.
"Moreover, the government has imposed sales tax on services of contractors and consultants. Unfortunately, there is also a huge tax on import of machinery and pharmaceutical plants. Now, a tax has been imposed on import of raw material which is not being reimbursed despite commitment by the government," he regretted.
As per the former PPMA chairman Hamid Raza, the association had decided to give five days to the government to reconsider its decision, otherwise, the industry would have no option but to go for the strike.