Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan officials led by Director Licensing and Chairman Central Licensing Board Dr Noor Muhammad Shah met with industry representatives at the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce & Industry to promote basic and semi-basic manufacturing of pharmaceutical raw materials, including active pharmaceutical ingredients, excipients, extracts and primary packaging materials.
RCCI President Usman Shaukat and Vice President Fahad Barlas offered a platform to discuss the current capabilities and practical challenges facing local producers. The session highlighted opportunities to scale Local Pharma by improving local supply chains and creating conditions for technology transfer and investment.
During the meeting DRAP outlined initiatives to facilitate indigenous manufacturing and technology transfer, streamline licensing and regulatory processes to encourage investment, strengthen collaboration with industry and chambers for sustainable growth, and advance self-reliance in pharmaceutical raw materials to reduce import dependency.
Industry stakeholders engaged actively on the prospects for producing APIs, excipients and related materials within Pakistan. Attendees welcomed DRAP’s consultative approach and noted that clearer regulatory pathways and closer public private partnership would make Local Pharma projects more viable and attractive to investors.
Speakers agreed that sustained regulatory facilitation and targeted support for local manufacturers can enhance resilience of the national pharmaceutical sector and create new opportunities for investment and job creation across the supply chain.
