The federal cabinet approved the increase in the prices of 146 essential life-saving medicines on Thursday, keeping in view the rising prices of their raw material in the global market.

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar while presiding over a federal cabinet meeting instructed officials to compile the recommendations for “necessary legislation” regarding the deregulation of drug prices and its onward presentation before Parliament by the next elected government.

The premier directed officials to improve the performance of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan and accelerate action against drug smugglers and hoarders.

The government was taking all possible steps to provide medicines to the people at affordable prices, Kakar said and advised the authorities to frame such policies which would benefit the public and also assist in developing the pharmaceutical industry.

Officials from the health ministry and DRAP said that through the online portal of the authority, citizens could file complaints regarding the non-availability of medicines in the market.

On the recommendation of the finance ministry, the cabinet approved the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Competition Commission of Pakistan and the State Administration of Market Regulation (SAMR) China. Under the MOU, the exchange of information and technical capacity would increase between the two countries.

The cabinet, on the recommendation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, allowed renowned Pakistani psychologist Muhammad Saleem Khan Tareen to receive the award of Member of the British Empire from King Charles (III), in honour of his services in the field of psychology.

It also allowed Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu to receive the Gold Medal for Aeronautical Merit awarded by Italy, in recognition of his services for the increased cooperation between the air forces of the two countries.

The cabinet approved the decisions taken in the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Energy held on January 26, besides endorsing the decisions of the Cabinet Committee on Legislative Cases taken on January 26 and 31, 2024.