ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani caretaker government has launched a crackdown on medicine profiteers across the country, Pakistani state media reported on Saturday, amid rising prices of several drugs.

The development comes after reports of retailers selling drugs for the treatment of tuberculosis, epilepsy, cancer and other life-threatening diseases at higher prices. The rates of some of the medicines had gone up by as much as 300-400 percent.

Pakistan’s Caretaker Health Minister Dr. Nadeem Jan said he had ordered action against these profiteers under the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) Act, the state-run APP news agency reported.

“Heavy fines and punishments will be given against profiteers as per the DRAP Act,” he was quoted as saying. “The task force of DRAP will take full action against the profiteers.”

Meanwhile, authorities launched a major drive against retailers selling drugs at inflated prices in the eastern city of Lahore, according to Jan’s spokesperson.

Pakistan, which imports a number of life-saving drugs, has often witnesses shortages of essential medicines in the markets, where some retailers resort to selling them at higher rates.

The latest crackdown against drug profiteers comes amid the country’s separate, concentrated efforts against smuggling and hoarding of commodities as it moves to fix the frail economy.