Minister of State for Finance Ali Pervez Malik, along with Punjab’s Health Ministers Khawaja Imran Nazir and Khawaja Salman Rafique, emphasised that the current government made difficult yet crucial decisions to safeguard the state, even at the cost of political compromise. The ministers made these remarks during the oath-taking ceremony of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (North Zone), where they attended as chief guests on Sunday.
Addressing the gathering, Minister of State Ali Pervez Malik highlighted that just a few years ago, the country faced a severe shortage of dollars, making it difficult to open Letters of Credit (LCs). However, the government made the right choices to protect the economy and prevent further decline.
“The inflow of 7 billion Dollars will help reduce inflation, ease import pressure, and restore investor confidence,” he added.
Punjab’s Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare, Khawaja Imran Nazir, reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring the availability of quality medicines throughout the province, under the guidance of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif. He stressed that the fight against counterfeit medicines would be carried out in collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry.
He also called on the industry to assist the government in addressing the shortage of life-saving drugs.
“The Chief Minister of Punjab is determined to strengthen the local pharmaceutical sector,” he stated.
Commenting on political instability, Khawaja Imran Nazir noted, “Whenever the country begins to stabilize, certain disruptive groups spread chaos.” He also mentioned the government’s successful introduction of the 45 billion Dollar CPEC project, encouraging a shift towards national unity instead of protests and sit-ins.
Punjab’s Minister for Specialized Healthcare and Medical education, Khawaja Salman Rafique, in his address, emphasized the need to make the local pharmaceutical industry self-sufficient, which would save the country billions in foreign exchange. He underscored the importance of reducing imports and focusing on producing high-quality medicines domestically.
“By boosting trade, investment, and ensuring political stability, Pakistan can achieve lasting prosperity,” he added. The minister also assured the pharmaceutical industry of the government’s full support in promoting exports.
Former Punjab Health Minister, Professor Javed Akram, also addressed the ceremony, which saw the participation of key figures in the pharmaceutical industry, including Mian Misbah-ur-Rehman and Khawaja Shahzaib Akram.
The ceremony concluded with the oath-taking of PPMA Chairman Saad Javed Akram and the Zonal Executive Committee, followed by the presentation of souvenirs to the guests.