KABUL: A severe medicine shortage is gripping Afghanistan following the Taliban administration’s sudden decision to halt pharmaceutical imports from Pakistan, a move that has disrupted a decades-old, reliable supply chain critical for Afghan public health.
Deputy Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar’s order to stop trade, citing unsubstantiated claims about the ‘poor quality’ of Pakistani medicines, has backfired, creating an artificial crisis. For generations, Pakistan has been Afghanistan’s primary and most accessible pharmaceutical partner, supplying over 70% of its medicinal needs through an integrated cross-border economy.
The resulting vacuum has led to skyrocketing prices, a dangerous black market for counterfeit drugs, and immense public suffering. While the Taliban scrambles for alternatives, their recent agreement with Indian companies for a $100 million supply deal is overshadowed by logistical and scalability challenges. India’s subsequent dispatch of 73 tons of medical aid, while acknowledged, is a mere fraction of what Afghanistan routinely imported from Pakistan and highlights the insufficiency of last-minute solutions.
From Pakistan’s perspective, this crisis underscores its irreplaceable role as Afghanistan’s natural economic lifeline. The episode demonstrates how politicizing essential trade, against historical interdependence and geographic necessity, ultimately harms the Afghan people Pakistan has long supported. Experts suggest the Taliban’s policy revision is inevitable, as Pakistan’s pharmaceutical sector remains the most viable, cost-effective, and rapid-response source for meeting Afghanistan’s healthcare demands.
Meanwhile the Pakistan Navy Ship YAMAMA, operating under the Regional Maritime Security Patrol (RMSP) in the Arabian Sea, carried out a successful counter-narcotics mission, intercepting 1,500 kilograms of hashish worth nearly 3 million USD.
This decisive action highlights the Navy’s firm resolve to curb illegal trafficking and maintain strong security across vital sea routes.
The Pakistan Navy remains vigilant through regular RMSP deployments, ensuring the protection of national maritime interests with constant surveillance and active presence at sea.
It also continues to work closely with regional and international partners, reinforcing its role in fostering a safer and more secure maritime environment.
