The government has set the country’s pharmaceutical export target at an ambitious $30 billion for the next five years, according to Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Syed Mustafa Kamal.
Kamal was speaking at the 8th Pakistan Pharma Summit and Pharma Export Summit and Awards 2025 (PESA 2025) held in Islamabad on Wednesday, ahead of a meeting on local manufacturing of vaccines with industry representatives on Thursday as the government looks to cut heavy reliance on imported vaccines, including from neighbouring India.
Addressing concerns that the $30 billion figure may be an overambitious target, Kamal said: “We have to put the challenge on. Let’s come out of the comfort zone.”
“The government – the ministry – is creating an enabling environment. We (the ministry) are open 24/7 including on Sundays. There are no holidays.”
“We have already achieved $1 billion in pharmaceutical exports in the previous fiscal year 2024-25,” he said, adding the export number was calculated after clubbing export of medical devices and supplements with medicine exports. Kamal further said “I am not going to buy the industry export target of $2 billion to $3 billion set for the next couple of years.”
“The world is scaling up exports and generating revenues worth billions of dollars. Why can’t Pakistan do it? The ministry of health and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) will support the industry in further developing and expanding locally and surging exports multifold,” he said. “Look at different ways. Deploy technology to grow and achieve the export targets,” Kamal added.
He said there is no healthcare system in Pakistan, but rather a “sick care system”. “We wait for people to fall sick to take care of them. We have to transform this into a healthcare system,” he said.
The minister said Pakistan is relying heavily – around 90-95% – on imported vaccines – mostly from India. “We cannot afford to buy vaccines from anywhere outside. Come together. Start manufacturing them in Pakistan,” he reiterated. Chairman Senate Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday said Pakistan’s pharmaceutical exports had reached a record USD 457 million in the last fiscal year, registering 34 percent growth – the highest in over two decades. Delivering the keynote address at the 8th Pakistan Pharma Summit and the 4th Pharma Export Summit & Awards (PESA 2025), he termed the achievement a matter of national pride, noting that Pakistan now meets the vast majority of its pharmaceutical needs through local production.
Gilani congratulated the top 50 exporters of pharmaceuticals and allied products, honored at the PESA Awards, calling them the “torchbearers of Pakistan’s growing stature in international markets.”
The event, organized by the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association (PPMA), brought together exporters, industry leaders, policymakers, and international experts. Gilani was received by Tauqeer Ul Haq, Chairman PPMA, Dr. Kaiser Waheed, Chairman Organizing Committee, and Co-Chairmen Haroon Qasim and Asad Shuja.
Highlighting the sector’s transformation, he pointed to the adoption of artificial intelligence, digital health platforms, and advanced manufacturing technologies, as well as policy support through reduced duties on Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and the launch of PharmEx Pakistan.
He assured the industry of Parliament’s full support, stressing that relevant Senate and National Assembly committees remain committed to enabling better legislation, aligning policies, and encouraging investment in research and development.
Welcoming international delegates, Gilani underscored the importance of global partnerships, technology transfer, and adherence to international certifications, including those from the World Health Organization (WHO), to expand Pakistan’s footprint in advanced markets. “The way forward lies in a progressive approach that links innovation, collaboration, and sustainability,” he said, adding that with resilience and determination, Pakistan’s pharmaceutical industry could capture a much larger share of the trillion-dollar global market.
He concluded by congratulating PPMA leadership and award recipients, reaffirming the Senate’s support for building a stronger, healthier Pakistan.
Meanwhile Tauqeer Ul Haq, Chairman, Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association (PPMA) and Managing Director of Sante, said that Pakistan’s pharma industry’s standalone export growth rate hit a two-decade high of 34% in FY25, increasing the export volume of medicines to $475 million in the year.