Pakistan’s pharmaceutical exports have been severely affected by the closure of the Torkham and Chaman borders between Pakistan and Afghanistan, resulting in financial pressure and cash flow problems for local pharmaceutical companies with loss of $200 million dollar.
According to Dr. Qaiser Waheed, former chairman of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA), the shipment of medicines to Afghanistan has been suspended since October 2025 due to the closure of border crossings. Trucks loaded with medicines remained stuck at the border for long periods, which not only caused financial losses but also affected the operational affairs of the companies.
According to the PPMA, Afghanistan was one of Pakistan’s largest export markets for medicines, where medicines worth $150 to $200 million were sent annually. This volume constitutes about 35 percent of Pakistan’s total pharmaceutical exports.
Dr. Qaiser Waheed said that if the export trend had continued, Pakistan would have been in a position to achieve the target of one billion dollars in pharmaceutical exports in the fiscal year 2026. He said that this volume could have increased further by including medical devices, surgical, nutraceuticals, and food supplements.
He said that during the fiscal year 2025, Pakistan’s pharmaceutical exports achieved the highest growth rate in two decades and reached $457 million, making it the fifth fastest-growing export category.
According to Dr. Qaiser Waheed, the pharmaceutical sector is a technical and regulated sector, where it takes four to five years to register drugs in any new market, so it is not possible to find an immediate alternative to the Afghan market.
He added that several Pakistani companies had set up offices and sales teams in Afghanistan, which were affected by the border closure. Although limited quantities of medicines are being sent by air from Islamabad to Kabul through a weekly flight, this cannot be a complete substitute for land trade.
Dr. Qaiser Waheed clarified that the border closure is understandable in view of national security, but in case of a prolonged disruption, Pakistan may lose its major export market. According to him, Iran, India, and Bangladesh are active in supplying medicines to Afghanistan, while Russian medicines can also enter the Afghan market through Central Asian states.
Experts say that if the situation does not return to normal soon, Pakistan may face not only financial losses but also the loss of its competitive advantage in the region.
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