Pakistan rushes to safeguard medicine supplies after trade suspension with India
text_fields
Following Islamabad's suspension of trade with India in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistani health authorities have launched urgent measures to secure pharmaceutical supplies.
India's decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty after the attack, which was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), triggered Pakistan’s move to halt trade ties.
Amid fears of a medical supply crisis, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) announced that although no formal directive has been issued regarding pharmaceutical imports, contingency plans are underway. A senior DRAP official noted that preparations for such emergencies began after the 2019 Pulwama crisis, and efforts are now intensifying to find alternative sources, reported Geo News.
Currently, Pakistan imports 30% to 40% of its pharmaceutical raw materials, including critical Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and advanced therapies, from India. With the supply chain disrupted, DRAP is actively seeking new suppliers from China, Russia, and various European nations to maintain the availability of vital medicines such as anti-rabies vaccines, anti-snake venom, cancer treatments, and monoclonal antibodies.
Despite these efforts, health experts and industry insiders have raised alarms over potential shortages if immediate action is not taken. A senior official from the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination emphasised that Pakistan depends heavily on India not only for raw materials but also for finished products critical to patient care.
Complicating the situation is Pakistan’s existing black market for pharmaceuticals, where medicines of questionable quality are smuggled in from neighboring countries like Afghanistan, Iran, and through unofficial channels from India. These sources cannot guarantee consistent or safe supplies.
Recognising the urgency, a delegation from the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) met with officials from DRAP and the Ministry of Commerce, urging an exemption for the pharmaceutical sector from the broader trade suspension. They argued that the lives of patients depended on a continued flow of essential medicines.
The PPMA also took their plea to the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), stressing that health-related trade should be safeguarded against political disruptions.
Meanwhile, some public health experts view the crisis as an opportunity for Pakistan to invest seriously in the local production of APIs, vaccines, and biological medicines, reducing future reliance on imports.
"This could be a pivotal moment for Pakistan's pharmaceutical industry," said Zafar Iqbal, a senior public health expert, calling for strategicPakistan rushes to safeguard medicine supplies after trade suspension with India
