Islamabad: While cancer patients, terminally ill individuals, and those suffering from unbearable pain are being denied access to essential medicines like morphine and fentanyl, highly addictive and strictly controlled drugs are being sold openly online in Pakistan through popular shopping platforms at inflated prices, exposing glaring loopholes in the country’s regulatory system.
On Daraz, one of Pakistan’s largest e-commerce platforms, multiple listings feature dangerous prescription-only medicines—drugs that are not allowed to be sold over the counter even in Pakistan—yet they are available to anyone with internet access. These drugs, known for their addictive potential, are marketed like consumer products, with prices ranging from Rs. 480 to over Rs. 1,000 per pack.
One such drug is Neuxam (Alprazolam 1mg), openly advertised for “sleeping and depression.” Alprazolam is a benzodiazepine used to treat anxiety and panic disorders but is highly addictive, often misused for its sedative and euphoric effects. Prolonged or unsupervised use can cause dependence and withdrawal that may be life-threatening. Yet, a box of 30 tablets is being sold for Rs. 480 online, without any prescription requirements.
Another listing promotes Pregalax (Pregabalin 300mg), priced at Rs. 999 for 14 capsules. Pregabalin is prescribed for nerve pain and epilepsy but is increasingly abused due to its intoxicating effects. Classified as a controlled medicine worldwide, it can cause dizziness, dependency, and abuse-related complications, yet is marketed online with discounted offers.
Similarly, Alp (Alprazolam 0.5mg) is displayed as “sleeping and depression pills,” with a pack of 30 tablets priced at Rs. 1,099. Like Neuxam, this drug is tightly regulated due to its misuse potential, but online vendors treat it as a casual sleep aid.
The platform also carries Gabafil (Pregabalin 300mg), advertised as having “no side effects.” Sold at Rs. 760 for 14 capsules, the claim is dangerously misleading since pregabalin misuse is known to cause dependency, mood swings, and severe withdrawal.
Other addictive benzodiazepines such as Relaxin (Bromazepam 3mg) and Lexotanil (Bromazepam 3mg) are also freely available, with prices ranging between Rs. 750 and Rs. 899. Bromazepam, often prescribed for anxiety and insomnia, carries a high risk of addiction, impaired judgment, and overdose when misused. In Pakistan, these drugs are supposed to be dispensed only under strict medical supervision, yet online they are offered like ordinary consumer goods.
Sardar Shabbir Ahmed, Secretary of the Quality Control Board Islamabad, has formally lodged a complaint with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), highlighting how Daraz is enabling the illegal sale of controlled medicines in violation of national drug laws.
The matter has also caught the attention of provincial drug authorities, including those in Sindh, who have directed their field forces to investigate the issue and examine legal action against online sellers.
At the same time, experts point out that while lifesaving opioids such as morphine and fentanyl remain scarce for patients in dire need, unregulated sedatives and addictive pills are just a click away, deepening the suffering of genuine patients while fueling abuse.
Adding to the crisis is the unchecked marketing and advertisement of pharmaceutical products across Pakistan as prescription medicines and therapeutic goods are being aggressively promoted on mainstream television, radio, billboards, signboards, and social media in violation of the rules under the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan Act and the Drugs Act 1976, which prohibit such advertising without approval.
Despite these laws, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has failed to curb illegal promotion, allowing a dangerous culture of normalization of drug use to flourish.
This unfolding scandal has laid bare the contradictions of Pakistan’s drug regulatory system—where legitimate patients are denied pain relief, while e-commerce platforms and advertisers profit from the sale and promotion of addictive controlled substances in plain sight. The exposure has intensified calls for urgent enforcement, stricter oversight of online marketplaces, and accountability for regulatory failures that have left public health hanging in the balance.
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