Citizens Confront DRAP Over Hiring Delays, Registration Bottlenecks, and Poor Communication in Live Forum
Nadeen Tanoli
ISLAMABAD: The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) faced intense criticism during its latest live E-Kachehri, as citizens and pharmaceutical industry representatives expressed anger over chronic hiring delays, unresolved registration cases, and license renewals pending for years. The online session, hosted by DRAP CEO Dr. Obaidullah and advertised as an opportunity “to address all complaints relating to DRAP,” quickly turned into a real-time accountability forum where the public laid bare systemic failures inside the regulatory body.
The most pressing concern came from candidates awaiting interviews for Regulatory Officers (RO-12) and Assistant Directors, who said they have been left in limbo with no clarity on their futures. One participant wrote that their “whole career is on stake,” capturing the anxiety of hundreds caught in the stalled recruitment process. Responding to these concerns, Dr. Obaidullah explained that the delay was due to a mandatory third-party review of the hiring mechanism to ensure compliance with government transparency rules. He assured participants that once the report was received, decisions on the pending recruitment would be made.
Frustrations extended beyond hiring. Citizens and companies repeatedly raised complaints about months-long delays in registration letters, particularly for medical devices approved in board meetings but never formally documented. Representatives of Lab Line, Karachi, including Ayesha Chaudhary and Kalsoom Zia, described how their approved cases from previous board meetings remained unresolved. The CEO and officials present acknowledged the complaints and promised to investigate and expedite those cases. Others reported license renewal applications pending since 2022, while several companies said files submitted as far back as 2022 and early 2024 remained unattended despite repeated follow-ups. The CEO conceded that resource shortages were contributing to delays but added that all pending cases had been sent to field offices with instructions to clear them within 30 days.
Even as the grievances dominated, DRAP sought to highlight areas of progress. Dr. Obaidullah pointed to a rise in pharmaceutical exports, which have grown from $370 million to more than $450 million, while admitting that Pakistan remains far behind India’s $28 billion export industry. He announced the formation of a new Pharmexcil council to strengthen the export ecosystem and revealed that DRAP is currently in a six-month transition to adopt the internationally recognized PIC/S guidelines, a move expected to raise manufacturing standards and ease international market entry for Pakistani products.
The session also touched on policy queries and technical issues. Participants asked about sending medicines abroad, which the CEO said can now be done through an online system with a 24-hour turnaround, and inquired about registering refurbished devices, for which guidelines are still being finalized. Shortages of important drugs such as Nitrofurantoin were also highlighted.
In his closing remarks, the CEO stressed the importance of public feedback and directed officials to provide updates to all participants whose cases had been identified during the session. While the E-Kachehri demonstrated DRAP’s willingness to engage openly, it also exposed how weak communication, bureaucratic bottlenecks, and delayed processes continue to erode trust in the authority. For many citizens, the forum underscored not only the promise of reform but also the urgent need for meaningful action.
