Elaborating details of the policy, Dr. Firdous said that those pharmaceutical companies, who wanted to register their drugs at the earliest, could pay double or triple fee for the purpose.

"We have taken this step to generate resources for the authority and also clear the backlog of 14,000 pending drug registration applications with the cooperation of pharmaceutical companies", the minister stated.

She said the newly established Drug Regulatory Authority was an autonomous body which was facing a number of problems, including financial constraints and pressure for registration of drugs so the new strategy had been established with the consensus of all the departments concerned.

She said that the policy board had finalized appointment criteria of Chief Executive Officer of the authority and it was their utmost endeavour to select a qualified, competent, professional and committed person for this seat before the expiry of their tenure.

"It is imperative to appoint a most suitable, competent, committed, professional and dedicated person on this seat as medicines are basic requirement of masses and our focus is to facilitate people at their doorsteps", she added.

He said the prime responsibility of the authority was to address the issues of pricing, quality and distribution of medicines across the country as the government was committed to provide safe, effective, quality and economically affordable drugs and medicines to the people.

In order to make an effective authority the minister highlighted that new section including information technology, alternate medicine finance legal and controlled drugs had been created to meet international commitments, enhanced coordination and to bring harmony in interprovincial trade and commerce of therapeutic goods.