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| Pakistan 'toxic syrup' kills 16 in Lahore | Pakistan 'toxic syrup' kills 16 in Lahore |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| At least 16 people have died in the Pakistani city of Lahore after drinking what police say was toxic cough syrup. | |
| The factory producing the medicine has been sealed, and three people have been arrested, including a distributor of the medicine. | |
| The deaths occurred between Friday and Sunday. Police say they were mostly drug addicts in Shahdra town area. | |
| Cough syrup, which is sold as an over-the-counter medicine, is sometimes used by addicts to get high, police say. | Cough syrup, which is sold as an over-the-counter medicine, is sometimes used by addicts to get high, police say. |
| "Some of the victims were found dead in a graveyard where addicts used to take different kind of drugs," local police chief Atif Zulfiqar told AFP news agency. | "Some of the victims were found dead in a graveyard where addicts used to take different kind of drugs," local police chief Atif Zulfiqar told AFP news agency. |
| The chief minister of Punjab province has ordered an inquiry to submit a report to him within 72 hours. | The chief minister of Punjab province has ordered an inquiry to submit a report to him within 72 hours. |
| The provincial health authority raided several pharmacies and seized stocks of the syrup - media reports say the medicine was not past its expiry date. | The provincial health authority raided several pharmacies and seized stocks of the syrup - media reports say the medicine was not past its expiry date. |
| Samples of the medicine have been sent for testing. Doctors told the BBC those who died may have added something to the syrup, to increase their high. | |
| In January more than 100 people died after taking contaminated heart medicine in Lahore. | In January more than 100 people died after taking contaminated heart medicine in Lahore. |
| The deaths were directly linked to a batch of faulty drugs given to cardiac patients at a government-run hospital. | The deaths were directly linked to a batch of faulty drugs given to cardiac patients at a government-run hospital. |
| The BBC's Orla Guerin in Islamabad says the sale of sub-standard and expired medicine is a common problem in Pakistan. |