Islamabad: Pakistan’s pharmaceutical exports fell 25.53% in value to $73.301 million in the first quarter of FY27, while the quantity shipped dropped 31.40%, with industry representatives linking the decline largely to the disruption of trade with Afghanistan.
Pakistan exported 16,410 tonnes of pharmaceutical products in July–September, compared with 23,924 tonnes in the same quarter of FY26, a reduction of 7,514 tonnes. Export earnings fell by $25.127 million, from $98.428 million.
The decline followed a sharp contraction in FY26, when pharmaceutical exports fell 30.26% to $319.012 million from $457.456 million in FY25, according to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics data. Export volume dropped 26.14%, from 112,517 tonnes to 83,104 tonnes, a decrease of 29,413 tonnes.
A simple calculation based on the figures shows that the average declared export value per tonne rose by about 8.6% in the first quarter of FY27, from roughly $4,115 to $4,469. Across FY26, it fell by about 5.6%, from around $4,065 to $3,838. These averages reflect the value and volume of exports and can change with the mix of products shipped; they are not a direct measure of medicine prices.
The figures exclude surgical goods and medical instruments. Exports of those products rose 8.8% to $121 million in the first quarter of FY27, while their annual value remained unchanged at $451.527 million in FY26.
Afghanistan had been a major destination for Pakistani medicines before trade was disrupted. Destination-wise figures on the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan’s Pakistan Pharma Portal, sourced from PRAL, show that Pakistan exported $155.68 million in pharmaceutical products to Afghanistan in FY25, about 34.1% of the country’s total pharmaceutical exports that year.
Former Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association chairman Tauqeer ul Haq said the suspension of trade with Afghanistan had caused significant losses to the pharmaceutical industry and the national exchequer. He said Afghan patients had also been affected because they were being pushed towards more expensive medicines.
Haq said the association had raised the matter with the government and that Federal Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal had promised to take it up with the relevant authorities and explore ways to resume Pakistani medicine exports. He criticised what he described as a lack of serious follow-up.
Haq also alleged that counterfeit versions of well-known Pakistani medicine brands were being manufactured and sold in Afghanistan. He said Afghan consumers were familiar with and trusted Pakistani brands, making the alleged imitations a concern. The claim could not be independently verified.
He urged the government to pursue the resumption of legitimate medicine trade and address the alleged counterfeiting, saying the disruption was hurting Pakistani exporters and Afghan patients.
Ends