As federal and provincial governments continue to stress upon the provision and use of face masks, Karachiites are being forced to buy face masks at three times the price of their original cost.
Karachiites have been left with no option to buy facial masks at three times of the price of their original cost amid COVID-19 outbreak.
According to details, the standard ‘three-ply’ face masks as recommended by the government, is being manufactured in Faisalabad at Rs 10 per piece. The 60 gram mask is being sold by wholesale dealers at Rs 12 per piece.
Read More: Masks mandatory in public: SAPM Health
However, the mask is being sold at Rs 30 – Rs 35 in Karachi i.e. triple of the original cost. Meanwhile a box of 50 masks is being sold around at Rs1,110 to Rs1,125 in the metropolitan city.
Earlier, Dr Zafar Mirza – Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services was acquitted by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in mask smuggling investigation. He was accused of being involved in the smuggling of 20 million face masks to China in return for a bribe of up to Rs 60 million.
It is to be noted that Sindh government, on June 3, had issued a ‘No Masks No Entry’ directive according to which nobody shall be allowed to enter, without wearing a face mask, into the premises of all departments/attached departments/subordinate offices/autonomous bodies under the Government of Sindh.
