ISLAMABAD: Pakistani health authorities have launched “emergency preparedness” measures to secure pharmaceutical raw materials and finished medicines after the government suspended trade ties with India--both directly and indirectly—in retaliation to New Delhi’s moves against the country in the wake of the recent attack in Pahalgam, Indian-occupied Kashmir, officials said on Friday.
The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) confirmed on Friday that although they have not received formal notification from the government regarding the ban’s scope in the pharmaceutical sector, contingency plans have already been set in motion. “Following the 2019 crisis, we had started preparing for such contingencies. We are now actively looking at alternative avenues to meet our pharmaceutical needs,” a senior DRAP official told The News.
The official explained that Pakistan currently imports 30 to 40 percent of its pharmaceutical raw material--Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs)--from India, along with several high-end finished therapeutic products.
With this channel disrupted, DRAP is now exploring alternative suppliers from China, Russia, and several countries in Europe to ensure the continuity of essential medical supplies. These include anti-rabies vaccines, anti-snake venom, cancer therapies, monoclonal antibodies, and other critical biological products.
While DRAP’s preparedness offers some reassurance, industry insiders and health experts are warning of a looming challenge if immediate action is not taken to manage the fallout of the trade suspension.
Pakistan imports some 30–40 percent of its pharmaceutical raw material from India. We also import finished products, most importantly, anti-cancer therapies, biological products, vaccines, and sera, especially anti-rabies vaccine and anti-snake venom from India,” a senior official from the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination said, requesting anonymity.
The Ministry of Health has yet to receive an official directive clarifying the status of pharmaceutical imports, despite the government’s blanket announcement suspending all trade with India.
The pharmaceutical sector fears that disruption in the supply chain could lead to critical shortages. The situation is further complicated by the existence of a robust black market, where unregistered and unapproved medicines--many of Indian origin--are smuggled into Pakistan through Afghanistan, Iran, Dubai, and even across the eastern border. While these channels fill gaps left by legal imports, they offer no guarantee of quality or consistent supply.
A delegation of pharmaceutical industry leaders travelled to Islamabad on Thursday to appeal for an exemption from the trade ban. “We had meetings with DRAP and Ministry of Commerce officials to discuss the suspension of trade ties. We urged them to exempt the pharmaceutical sector from the ban, as there are many life-saving products whose raw materials come exclusively from India,” said Tauqeer-ul-Haq, Chairman of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA).
The PPMA delegation also approached the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), arguing that pharmaceutical and health-related trade must be excluded from the ban in order to protect patients’ lives.
However, some experts see the current crisis as a wake-up call for long-term investment in local production of APIs, vaccines, and biologicals.
“This crisis could be a turning point for Pakistan,” said Dr. Zafar Iqbal, a senior public health expert. “The Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) Karachi has already started manufacturing anti-rabies vaccines using Chinese raw materials and is working on anti-snake venom. NIH Islamabad should also be upgraded and given the resources and mandate to meet the country’s vaccine and biological product needs.”