Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Apr 26: Pakistan which substantially depends on India for the supply of pharmaceutical raw materials and some of the live saving drugs, have initiated “emergency preparation” in view of the suspension of trade between the two countries in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 tourists were massacred by Pakistan-based terrorists on Tuesday.
Pakistani media reports said on Saturday that the Pakistani health authorities have initiated “emergency preparedness” measures to secure pharmaceutical supplies from other sources. “India trade halt triggered urgent measures to secure pharmaceutical needs in Pakistan and health authorities have initiated emergency preparedness measures to secure the supplies,” it said.
The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has confirmed that while there has been no formal notification regarding the ban’s impact on the pharmaceutical sector, contingency plans were already in place. “Following the 2019 crisis, we had started preparing for such contingencies. We are now actively looking at alternative avenues to meet our pharmaceutical needs,” the report quoted a senior DRAP official as saying.
Currently, Pakistan relies on India for 30% to 40% of its pharmaceutical raw materials, including Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) and various advanced therapeutic products. With this supply chain distributed, DRAP is seeking alternative sources from China, Russia, and several European countries.
The agency aims to ensure the continuous availability of essential medical supplies, including anti-rabies vaccines, anti-snake venom, cancer therapies, monoclonal antibodies, and other critical biological products. While DRAP’s preparedness offers some reassurance, industry insiders and health experts have warned of a looming challenge if immediate action was not taken to manage the fallout of the trade suspension.
“Pakistan imports some 30%-40% of its pharmaceutical raw material from India. We also import finished products, most importantly, anti-cancer therapies, biological products, vaccines, and sera, especially anti-rabies vaccine and anti-snake venom from India,” a senior official from the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination said,
The Ministry of Health has yet to receive an official directive clarifying the status of pharmaceutical imports, despite the government’s blanket announcement suspending all trade with India. The pharmaceutical sector fears that disruption in the supply chain could lead to critical shortages.
The situation is further complicated by the existence of a robust black market, where unregistered and unapproved medicines are smuggled into Pakistan through Afghanistan, Iran, Dubai, and even across the eastern border, the report said. While these channels fill gaps left by legal imports, they offer no guarantee of quality or consistent supply.
A delegation of pharmaceutical industry leaders travelled to Islamabad on Thursday to appeal for an exemption from the trade ban. “We had meetings with DRAP and Ministry of Commerce officials to discuss the suspension of trade ties. We urged them to exempt the pharmaceutical sector from the ban, as there are many life-saving products whose raw materials come exclusively from India,” said Tauqeer-ul-Haq, Chairman of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA).
The PPMA delegation also approached the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), arguing that pharmaceutical and health-related trade must be excluded from the ban to protect patients’ lives. However, some experts see the current crisis as a wake-up call for long-term investment in local production of APIs, vaccines, and biologicals. “This crisis could be a turning point for Pakistan,” said Zafar Iqbal, a senior public health expert.
Meanwhile, Indian security agencies revealed that Adil Ahmed Thoker, a native of Gurre village in Bijbehara in Anantnag district and one of the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack, had gone to Pakistan in 2018 and returned six years later with three to four terrorists.
Thoker had travelled to Pakistan on a student visa. According to intelligence officials, Thoker had already shown signs of radicalisation before his departure. Intelligence sources say he was in contact with individuals linked to banned terrorist organisations operating from across the border, even before leaving India.
Once in Pakistan, Thoker disappeared from public view. He severed communication with his family, and no trace of his presence could be established for nearly eight months. Intelligence agencies monitoring his digital footprint lost him. A parallel surveillance operation focused on his home in Bijbehara did not yield any major breakthroughs either.
According to intelligence sources, Thoker was undergoing ideological and paramilitary training during this time. He came under the influence of handlers associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the terrorist organisation based in Pakistan. By late 2024, Thoker resurfaced in intelligence assessments, but this time inside India.
According to intelligence sources, Thoker crossed the Line of Control (LoC) in October 2024 through the rugged and remote Poonch-Rajouri sector. The terrain in this area is notoriously difficult to patrol, with steep hills, dense forests and a border that has historically been exploited for illegal crossings.
Thoker was accompanied by a small group of three to four individuals, one of whom was a Pakistani national identified as Hashim Musa, another prime accused in the Pahalgam terror attack also known by his alias Suleman. It is now believed that Thoker was instrumental in facilitating Musa’s entry into Indian territory.
He remained in hiding for several weeks, during which he is suspected to have reactivated contact with dormant terrorist cells. Officials believe that he was actively scouting for a suitable location and opportunity to launch a high-impact attack that would cause mass casualties and attract international attention.
Security officials now confirm that the group that attacked the tourists in Pahalgam consisted of at least five terrorists. They divided into smaller units, targeting three specific zones within the meadow. The entire attack lasted less than ten minutes. By the time help arrived, it was already too late for most. Among the dead were 25 tourists and one local pony operator. Two security personnel, one from the Navy and another from the Intelligence Bureau, also lost their lives in the attack.
