SHANGLA: Pharmacists in Shangla district have rejected the strike of chemists against the recent amendments in the drug rules, 1982, made by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.

Talking to media persons here on Friday, Dr Saeed Anwar, press secretary, Pakistan Pharmacists Association, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, criticised pharmacists for opposing amendments in the law, adding the amendments were made to benefit the patients.

He said that rules of 1982 which were made under section 44 of the Drugs Act, 1976, were not sufficient to regulate sale of drugs. He said the health department had amended the drug sale rules to provide relief to the patients who must have access to safe and efficacious medicines. He said health hazards would be minimised through this amendment. He said the association fully supported the provincial government for taking the initiative.

Dr Aftab Alam, another pharmacist, said the strike by chemists was unlawful and alleged that majority of chemists was uneducated who sold medicines without prescriptions, which was major cause of spreading diseases among masses. He said the recent amendments would help eradicate substandard drugs from the market.

Chemists have started strike against the amendments and displayed banners in various hospitals of the district while announcing that they would observe a shutter down strike from Monday across the district.

STUDENTS STAGE PLAY: The students of government model high school, Patan, highlighted education-related issues f acing them in a play staged on Friday.

An event was held in the school to create awareness about natural disasters. On the occasion, a group of students presented instructive play about the lack of education f acilities in Lower Kohistan. The writer, Jehan Zeb, 18, played the central character in the play.

Jehan Zeb told Dawn that the play highlighted how people of remote areas of Kohistan were deprived of education facilities. He said it was unfortunate that the district had no college for boys.

Later, social activists took out a walk to create awareness about natural disasters and how to protect lives and reduce their impact.Correspondent