Jam Kamal unveils new pharma export council

Eyes increasing exports to $3b, boosting trade with Afghanistan; health minister backs local ingredient production

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ISLAMABAD:

Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan has reaffirmed the government's resolve to boost pharmaceutical exports, announcing the near-operational launch of PharmEx Pakistan — a new Pharma Export Promotion Council — under the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP).

"The pharmaceutical sector has huge export potential, and PharmEx Pakistan is just one or two steps away from becoming operational," the minister said on Wednesday, while praising the industry's rapid growth. He assured continued government support to help the sector meet international export targets.

Speaking during a presentation by Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Association (PPMA) Chairman Touqeerul Haq, the commerce minister also expressed optimism about trade with Afghanistan, noting that "with every passing day, our relations are growing stronger and more streamlined — pharmaceutical exports will rise accordingly."

Haq briefed the commerce minister on PharmEx Pakistan, a new public-private initiative designed to manage and promote pharmaceutical exports. He credited the minister's swift action on urgent issues for preventing significant financial losses in the sector and projected that PharmEx Pakistan could help raise exports from $700 million to $3 billion. The push builds on steady sectoral growth. According to industry figures, pharmaceutical exports climbed from $270 million in 2020-21 to $355 million in 2024-25. PharmEx Pakistan is expected to improve regulatory compliance, expand international market access, and enhance global visibility for Pakistani pharmaceutical products.

To further aid exporters, the commerce minister announced a dedicated Exporter Facilitation Desk within the ministry to address time-sensitive matters requiring direct government intervention.

Separately, the federal minister for national health services met with a PPMA delegation to discuss critical sector issues, including amendments to drug rules, local production of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), and enhanced bilateral trade with Afghanistan. He stressed the importance of fostering the local pharmaceutical manufacturing industry and reiterated the strategic importance of domestic API production.

The minister directed the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) to develop a concept note on establishing a Naphtha Cracker facility, a key step toward self-sufficiency in pharmaceutical raw materials.

To ensure drug quality, the health minister also announced a new trace and track system using barcodes for medicine verification via mobile phones.