Pakistan in fear! Fearing India’s action, it is stocking these things including medicines

Islamabad: Pakistan has initiated emergency measures to ensure that there is no shortage of medicines in the country after the suspension of trade relations with India. In response to India’s decision to suspend the Indus Water Treaty after the Pahalgam terror attack, Islamabad on Thursday suspended all trade with New Delhi, among other steps.

Geo News reported that immediate measures have been initiated to meet the drug needs in Pakistan due to the halt in trade with India and health officials have taken necessary steps to ensure supply. The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan said that no formal notification has been issued by the government regarding the ban on medicines coming from India, but the emergency plan is already ready.

Pakistan depends on India for 40% of its drug supply
The report quoted a senior DRAP official as saying, ‘After the 2019 crisis, we started preparing for such situations. We are now looking for alternative ways to meet our drug needs.’ Currently, Pakistan’s pharmaceutical industry is dependent on India for 30% to 40% of its raw materials, including active pharmaceutical ingredients and various advanced medical products.

Pakistan is now looking for alternative sources from China, Russia and several European countries to meet its drug needs, including anti-rabies vaccines, anti-snake venom, cancer treatments, monoclonal antibodies and other important biological products. Although the health department of the Pakistan government is saying that it is prepared for every situation, pharmaceutical industry insiders and health experts have warned that if immediate action is not taken to deal with the consequences of trade suspension with India, a big challenge may arise.

Pharmaceutical industry fears supply chain disruption
A senior official of the Pakistan Health Department said on the condition of anonymity, ‘Pakistan imports 30-40% of its raw materials for medicines from India. We also import finished products, most importantly anti-cancer treatments, biological products, vaccines and serums, especially anti-rabies vaccines and anti-snake venom from India. Despite the government’s clear announcement of suspending all types of trade with India, the Health Ministry has not yet received any official instructions clarifying the status of drug imports. The pharmaceutical industry fears that there may be serious shortages due to supply chain disruptions.’

On April 22, Lashkar terrorists shot dead 26 people, mostly tourists, in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. It was the deadliest terrorist incident in the Kashmir Valley after the Pulwama attack in 2019. The Resistance Front, a proxy of Pakistan-based terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba, had earlier claimed responsibility for the attack, but later retracted its claim. India has vowed to punish the terrorists, conspirators and their masters involved in this attack in a way bigger than they could have imagined.