New Desk: Pakistani health authorities have initiated “emergency preparedness” measures to safeguard the country’s pharmaceutical supplies after India imposed retaliatory trade restrictions following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly Hindu pilgrims.
India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, closure of the Attari border, and other punitive steps have heightened concerns in Islamabad, particularly given Pakistan’s reliance on India for 30–40% of its pharmaceutical raw materials, including vital Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and advanced therapies.
Although no official ban on pharmaceutical imports has yet been issued, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) confirmed that contingency plans are underway. Authorities are urgently seeking alternative suppliers in China, Russia, and Europe to maintain the supply of critical medicines such as anti-rabies vaccines, anti-snake venom, cancer treatments, and monoclonal antibody products.
Health experts and industry leaders, however, warn that any delay could lead to severe shortages. Pakistan also imports several essential finished products from India, raising fears of disruption in life-saving treatments.
Complicating matters, Pakistan’s thriving black market — fueled by smuggled and often unregulated medicines from Afghanistan, Iran, Dubai, and across its eastern borders — offers little assurance in terms of quality and stable supply.
Amid growing unease, a delegation from the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) met with officials in Islamabad on Thursday, urging that the pharmaceutical sector be exempted from the broader trade ban. They stressed that patient lives must be prioritized over political retaliation.
The PPMA also engaged with the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), emphasizing the urgent need for a policy shift to protect health-sector trade.
Experts are now calling the crisis a “wake-up call” for Pakistan, highlighting the critical need to invest in domestic production capacities for APIs, vaccines, and biological products to reduce future vulnerabilities.
