KARACHI: The National Productivity Organization (NPO) has stressed the need for stronger international regulatory compliance and quality standards to improve the global competitiveness of Pakistan’s pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industry and expand its access to overseas markets.
Speaking at an industry dissemination seminar held at the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) office in Karachi on October 30, 2026, NPO Chief Executive Officer M. Alamgir Chaudhry said technical capacity building, improved productivity and effective government-industry collaboration were important for sustainable industrial development and export growth.
He also briefed participants on the mandates, initiatives and services of NPO Pakistan and the Asian Productivity Organization (APO), Japan, and encouraged pharmaceutical manufacturers to benefit from their technical assistance, training and capacity-building programmes.
PPMA Chairman Adnan Hirani highlighted the importance of technical capacity building and industry-wide collaboration to enable pharmaceutical companies to meet international regulatory requirements. He said exploring new international markets and expanding pharmaceutical exports would require continuous improvement in manufacturing practices, production capabilities and quality standards.
Former PPMA chairman Dr Shaiekh Kaiser Waheed welcomed the guests and participants and appreciated the initiative undertaken by NPO and PPMA to strengthen the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industry. He underlined the need to align pharmaceutical manufacturing practices and quality management systems with international standards to improve product quality, ensure regulatory compliance and enhance export readiness.
The seminar was organised by NPO, under the Ministry of Industries and Production, Government of Pakistan, in collaboration with PPMA and the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI). It was part of the Asian Productivity Organization Technical Expert Service on Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Industry Development, implemented from October 20 to 30, 2026.
The initiative aims to strengthen regulatory compliance, enhance productivity and improve the export readiness of Pakistan’s pharmaceutical and nutraceutical companies, with a particular focus on Global Good Manufacturing Practices, Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme principles and US Food and Drug Administration requirements.
Chuan Yao, an international technical expert from Singapore with over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, GMP/cGMP, PIC/S, US FDA requirements, regulatory compliance and inspection preparedness, provided technical guidance under the programme. He conducted company-level assessments and supported capacity building, helping participating companies identify compliance gaps and explore practical measures to address them.
The technical assistance covers PIC/S principles, GMP/cGMP standards, production processes, quality assurance and control, documentation, validation, data integrity, regulatory affairs and inspection preparedness. The programme also seeks to strengthen quality management systems, identify priority corrective actions and enhance companies’ readiness to meet international regulatory requirements.
Its findings and lessons are expected to support the development of a model FDA compliance framework for wider application across the industry.
As part of the broader initiative, industry dissemination seminars were also held in Rawalpindi and Lahore on October 26 and 28, respectively, to share technical knowledge, expert guidance and international best practices with a wider audience in Pakistan’s pharmaceutical and nutraceutical sector.
The initiative is aligned with Pakistan’s Pharmaceuticals Export Strategy 2023-2027, which recognises pharmaceuticals as a priority export sector. It also supports the objectives of URAAN Pakistan and the National Economic Transformation Plan 2024-29, particularly in promoting export-led growth, workforce development and industrial competitiveness.
NPO, PPMA and RCCI reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening technical capabilities, improving industrial productivity, promoting international best practices and enabling Pakistani pharmaceutical and nutraceutical enterprises to capitalise on greater opportunities in global markets.
