Islamabad: Health minister Syed Mustafa Kamal has said a bar code system will be introduced on all medicines within 60 days for elimination of sub-standard and spurious medicines in the country.

All the preparations have been made by health ministry and all respective institutions in this regard, he said this while addressing a ceremony on the occasion of his visit to Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) headquarters.

He held a mega Pak-Chine business to business conference is going to be held in Pakistan on July 17-18 to attract foreign investment in medicines sector.

Over 150 local companies have got registered them in this conference while more than 100 companies will participate in this conference from China.

Government wants to attract investment from China in medical devices, active pharmaceutical ingredients, new medicines and modern molecules and modern technology so that Pakistan could become a pharmaceutical hub in the region.

Bringing Chinese investment in Pharma sector is top priority of government, he added.

He said it has become a general perception that what tablet comes from Dubai for cure to headache has instant effect. Although this opinion can be wrong technically but we have to dispel this perception.

He indicated government has abolished tax on contraceptive drugs so that family planning facilities could become available easily to people. If contraceptive methods are used effectively then population growth ratio can be brought down by 67 lac. It will leave positive impacts on economy and health system.

Government has started work on local vaccine manufacturing project since 2025 so that Pakistan could become self-reliant in vaccine production.