The caretaker Punjab government has banned five substandard cough syrups, following the investigation of the World Health Organisation on the complaint of Maldives.

In a statement on Friday, interim Health Minister Jamal Nasir said that the probe confirmed that the five syrups had a high amount of alcohol in them.

Maldives complained that the syrup was contaminated, saying that it contained unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and diethylene glycol.

“Strict action will be taken against those who earned a bad name for the country,” he said while speaking about the syrups that were also supplied abroad.

The decision in the province was taken on the recommendations of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan. The minister claimed that the stock of syrup has been recalled from all medical stores in the country.

“The factory which made syrup is being sealed and there will be zero-tolerance for the people responsible for it,” he said.

“We had asked all officers to withhold its 19 batches in four to five hours,” Nasir said.

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In August, the WHO identified one batch of substandard (contaminated) cold out syrup (Paracetamol and Chlorpheniramine Maleate) in the Republic of Iraq.

Paracetamol and chlorpheniramine combination syrups were used to treat and relieve symptoms of the common cold and allergy symptoms.

“The sample was found to contain unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol (0.25%) and ethylene glycol (2.1%) as contaminants. The acceptable safety limit for both ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol is no more than 0.10%.”