Afghan trade halt hits pharma exports

Pakistan’s medicine exports lost further ground in July-September 2026, bringing in $73.301m, down from $98.428m a year earlier, Dawn reported. Shipments by volume dropped 31.40pc to 16,410 tonnes, a steeper fall than the decline in export earnings. For FY26, sales abroad had already contracted 30.26pc, to $319.012m from $457.456m.

The industry points to interrupted commerce with Afghanistan, previously a significant destination. Pakistan sent medicines worth $155.68m there in FY25, about 34.1pc of that year’s total pharmaceutical exports. Former PPMA chairman Tauqeer ul Haq said the suspension had hurt exporters and government revenue, while Afghan patients faced costlier alternatives; he also said a government discussion on restoring trade had seen little progress. Separate exports of surgical products and medical instruments, excluded from the medicine totals, rose 8.8pc to $121m in the first quarter of FY27.