In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack and the ensuing trade suspension with India, Pakistan has moved swiftly to implement emergency measures to safeguard its pharmaceutical supply chain.

According to a Geo News report, health authorities in Pakistan have launched "emergency preparedness" initiatives to secure vital medical supplies. This comes as Islamabad retaliated to New Delhi’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty by halting trade ties with its eastern neighbour.

The abrupt disruption in commerce with India — a major supplier of pharmaceutical ingredients — prompted urgent steps to shield Pakistan’s healthcare sector from potential shortages. The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) confirmed that while no official notification about pharmaceutical trade restrictions has been issued, contingency plans have been active since the 2019 Pulwama crisis.

"After 2019, we anticipated the possibility of such events and started formulating backup strategies. We are now vigorously exploring alternative supply routes," an unnamed DRAP official was quoted as saying.

Heavy Dependence on Indian Pharma Supplies

India provides Pakistan with 30% to 40% of its pharmaceutical raw materials, including critical Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and specialized therapeutic products, according to PTI. The sudden trade cessation has rattled this supply chain, compelling DRAP to seek new partnerships with China, Russia, and several European nations to secure essential medicines — from anti-rabies vaccines and cancer therapies to monoclonal antibodies and anti-snake venom treatments.

Despite reassurances of contingency planning, health industry experts warn that without immediate intervention, Pakistan risks facing serious shortages of life-saving drugs.

"Approximately 30–40% of our pharmaceutical raw materials come from India, along with finished products like vaccines and essential biologics," a senior official from the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination told Geo News.

While the Health Ministry awaits a formal directive detailing the implications for pharmaceutical imports, concerns grow over the sector’s vulnerability. Insiders fear that disruptions could open the floodgates to the black market, where unregulated and potentially dangerous medicines often enter Pakistan via Afghanistan, Iran, Dubai, and illicit routes across the eastern border.

Source: News Agencies