LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has intervened to stay the notification issued by the federal government regarding price hike of life-saving drugs.
This decision comes as a relief to many citizens, especially in light of concerns raised about the potential adverse effects of such price increases on access to essential medicines.
The legal proceedings were initiated by a citizen named Muhammad Aslam, who presented a convincing argument against the government’s decision.
Aslam’s petition claimed that the government’s move to change the drug pricing mechanism was not only against existing laws but also threatened to increase the financial burden on patients.
Citing constitutional grounds, Aslam stressed that the caretaker government lacked the power to make such major policy changes, especially in view of the imminent transition to a new democratic government.
The petitioner’s contention resonated with the court, leading to an immediate stay of the impugned notice pending further hearing.
During the initial hearing, Justice Shahid Karim presided over the case and granted the petitioner’s request to stay the auction till a final verdict is reached.
In addition, the court directed the Caretaker government of Punjab along with other relevant stakeholders to give their responses and justifications for the price hike in the upcoming hearings.