As diplomatic tensions between Pakistan and India intensify following the Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Pakistani health authorities have launched emergency preparedness measures to ensure the continuity of pharmaceutical supplies amid the suspension of bilateral trade.
The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) confirmed that, although no official notification has been issued regarding pharmaceutical-specific restrictions, proactive contingency plans are already underway.
“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 media outlets, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
Pakistan currently depends on India for 30% to 40% of its pharmaceutical raw materials, including essential Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), anti-cancer therapies, vaccines, and critical biological products. This heavy reliance places the country’s medical supply chain at significant risk amid trade disruptions.
In response, DRAP is exploring alternative suppliers in China, Russia, and Europe to plug potential gaps in availability. The aim is to maintain uninterrupted access to life-saving treatments, including anti-rabies vaccines, anti-snake venom, monoclonal antibodies, and advanced therapies for oncology and rare diseases.
However, industry insiders and health experts warn that the situation remains fragile. A senior official from the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, speaking on condition of anonymity, said:
“Pakistan imports some 30%–40% of its pharmaceutical raw material from India. We also import finished products, most importantly, anti-cancer therapies, biological products, vaccines, and sera. Any long-term suspension could lead to critical shortages.”
Despite the Pakistani government’s announcement of a blanket trade ban, no formal directive has yet been issued to the Ministry of Health regarding the pharmaceutical sector’s status. This uncertainty has led to mounting anxiety across the medical and manufacturing community.
Further complicating the situation is the existence of a parallel black market. A significant number of unregistered and unapproved medicines—many of Indian origin—are known to be smuggled into Pakistan via Afghanistan, Iran, Dubai, and the eastern border. While these unofficial channels often help bridge gaps in supply, they pose serious concerns over safety, consistency, and quality assurance.
In a bid to secure an exemption for the pharmaceutical industry, a delegation from the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) visited Islamabad on Thursday. The group held meetings with DRAP officials and representatives from the Ministry of Commerce to express their concerns.
“We urged them to exempt the pharmaceutical sector from the trade ban,” said Tauqeer-ul-Haq, PPMA Chairman. “There are many life-saving products whose raw materials come exclusively from India. Disrupting this supply chain puts lives at risk.”
The PPMA also approached the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), arguing that pharmaceutical and health-related trade should be treated as a strategic exemption under humanitarian grounds.
While the government weighs its options, some experts argue the current crisis presents an opportunity for Pakistan to rethink its long-term pharmaceutical strategy.
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“This crisis could be a turning point for Pakistan,” said Dr Zafar Iqbal, a senior public health expert. “Instead of relying so heavily on imports, we need to invest in domestic production of APIs, biologicals, and vaccines.”
Dr. Iqbal pointed to promising developments already underway. The Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) in Karachi has begun producing anti-rabies vaccines using Chinese raw materials and is working toward developing anti-snake venom. Meanwhile, the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad could be revitalized and equipped to meet the country’s vaccine and biological manufacturing needs on a larger scale.
Despite these initiatives, the reality is that ramping up local production will take time. In the immediate term, Pakistan faces a looming threat of shortages, especially in cancer treatments, vaccines, and biological therapies vital for patients in both urban hospitals and rural clinics.
With only days to go before the trade ban is fully enforced, pressure is mounting on the federal government to clarify the status of pharmaceutical imports — and to act swiftly to avoid a public health crisis.
For now, Pakistan’s healthcare system stands at a crossroads: caught between geopolitical tensions and the urgent need to protect its population’s access to essential medicines.
