synopsis
Pakistan has started emergency steps to secure medicine supplies after suspending trade with India following the Pahalgam attack. Officials fear severe drug shortages unless alternative sources from China, Russia, and Europe are secured quickly.
Pakistan has reportedly launched emergency measures to secure its pharmaceutical supplies after suspending trade ties with India in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.
According to Geo News, Pakistani health authorities have initiated “emergency preparedness” to prevent shortages of essential medicines. Although no formal government notification has been issued yet regarding the impact on the pharmaceutical sector, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) confirmed that contingency plans are already being rolled out.
The move comes after Islamabad reacted sharply to New Delhi’s suspension of the Indus Water Treaty by cutting off all trade with India, closing borders, cancelling visas, shutting airspace, and ordering each country’s nationals to leave the other’s territory.
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Health officials warned that at least 30 to 40 percent of Pakistan’s pharmaceutical needs — including raw materials like Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) and critical medicines such as cancer therapies and vaccines — depend heavily on Indian imports.
“Following the 2019 Pulwama crisis, we had started preparing for such contingencies. Now we are actively looking at alternative sources, including China, Russia, and European countries, to meet our needs,” a senior DRAP official said.
However, health experts fear that the disruption could trigger serious shortages. The Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) has urged authorities to exempt pharmaceutical and health-related products from the trade ban.
“If immediate action isn’t taken, patients could face severe shortages of life-saving medicines,” warned Tauqeer-ul-Haq, Chairman of the PPMA, reports IANS. The association has also appealed to Pakistan’s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) to protect the pharmaceutical supply chain amid escalating tensions.
The situation remains tense following the April 22 terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam area, where terrorists opened fire on tourists in the Baisaran meadow, killing 26 people, including foreigners. The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the assault.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed that India would track, identify, and punish every terrorist involved, promising to pursue them “to the ends of the earth.”
As political and trade ties unravel rapidly, health experts in Pakistan warn that the real casualties could soon be the country’s sick and vulnerable.