Lahore High Court Chief Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh on Friday sought reports from federal and provincial governments and Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) by March 02, on a petition against shortage of surgical masks in market and their sale on exorbitant prices.

Petitioner Chairman Judicial Activism Panel Azhar Siddique said the surgical masks were not available in market and had been hoarded by certain wholesale dealers to gain monitory benefit.

The CJ observed that apparently the surgical masks had been vanished from all hospitals and medical stores in wake of coronavirus. A provincial law officer stated that the government constituted inspection teams to check the shortage of the masks and to ensure their availability in market.

The petitioner argued that the DRAP had been playing the role of a silent spectator as it took no measure to control the prices. He sought a court's order to the DRAP and other authorities to control prices of masks and take strict action against the elements involved in its hoarding.