Pakistan’s pharmaceutical exports to Afghanistan have suffered due to a three-month closure of Torkham and Chaman borders. Officials said the disruption has halted medicine-laden trucks, causing huge financial losses. Afghanistan is one of Pakistan’s largest medicine markets, worth $150 million to $200 million annually.
Former Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) chairman Dr Kaiser Waheed said the closure threatens Pakistan’s chance to reach $1 billion in medicine exports for FY26. He noted that the country had high growth momentum in pharmaceutical sales and export markets before the suspension.
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Pakistan exports medicines for diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, depression, cold, cough, and other illnesses to Afghanistan. Waheed said it takes firms four to five years to register medicines in new markets, making lost sales hard to recover.
The prolonged border closure has allowed countries like Iran, India, Bangladesh, and possibly Russia to enter Afghanistan’s medicine market. Some Pakistani firms have used limited air cargo flights, but these cannot replace full land trade. Waheed emphasized that national security concerns make the closure understandable, but financial losses remain severe.
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He urged the government to support the pharmaceutical industry in retaining markets and infrastructure abroad. Officials warned that continued suspension could slow Pakistan’s pharma growth and weaken its regional healthcare role.