ISLAMABAD: Pakistani and Chinese companies signed 22 commercial agreements and 42 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth more than $1 billion in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and healthcare as a two-day Pakistan-China Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Business-to-Business (B2B) Investment Conference concluded on Saturday, paving the way for local production of vaccines, pharmaceutical raw materials, medical devices and other high-value health technologies.
Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal described the outcome as a landmark achievement that would transform Pakistan’s pharmaceutical industry, reduce dependence on imported medicines and vaccines, lower drug production costs and ultimately make medicines more affordable for the public.
Speaking at the closing ceremony and later briefing the media, he said the agreements covered biotechnology, vaccines, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), medical devices, clinical research, generic formulations and herbal medicines, reflecting unprecedented business-to-business cooperation between the two countries.
He said Pakistan currently imported 13 vaccines, and without local manufacturing the country’s annual vaccine import bill could reach $1.2 billion by 2030. To address this challenge, the government had approved Pakistan’s first National Vaccine Policy and was encouraging Chinese investment in local vaccine manufacturing.
The minister said Pakistan imported nearly 90 percent of the raw materials used in pharmaceutical production, but agreements signed during the conference would facilitate domestic API manufacturing in collaboration with Chinese companies. Local production of pharmaceutical ingredients, he said, would reduce manufacturing costs, lower medicine prices and strengthen Pakistan’s medicine security.
Mustafa Kamal said agreements had also been reached for local manufacturing of medical devices, clinical trials, vocational training and technology transfer, which would help modernise Pakistan’s pharmaceutical industry, develop skilled human resources and create new employment opportunities.
Highlighting regulatory reforms, he said more than 80 percent of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan’s (DRAP) services had been digitised, enabling companies to submit licence applications online, while registration licences were now being issued electronically within 20 days through the DRAP portal.
He said Pakistan had achieved significant international recognition in pharmaceutical regulation, with WHO-prequalified laboratories and exports of medicines to 52 countries under the WHO Maturity Level-2 regulatory framework. Pakistan was expecting a WHO Level-3 assessment in April 2027, which would open export opportunities in more than 100 additional countries, he added.
The health minister said the conference attracted 170 Chinese delegates and over 300 Pakistani participants, appreciating the contributions of Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi, the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), Minister for Investment Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, DRAP and other institutions. He said the conference reflected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision of expanding Pakistan-China economic cooperation beyond traditional sectors.
Federal Health Secretary Muhammad Aslam Ghori said the conference represented a new phase in bilateral cooperation, adding that its real success would be measured by implementation of agreements, technology transfer, local manufacturing and job creation rather than the number of deals signed.
DRAP Chief Executive Officer Dr. Obaidullah Malik said preparations for the conference had continued for three months, including 30 virtual B2B meetings during the last 20 days involving more than 100 Pakistani companies, which helped facilitate commercial partnerships.
He said the conference resulted in 22 commercial agreements worth over $623 million, including 10 agreements worth $201.5 million in medical devices, six worth $360 million in biotechnology and vaccines, two API manufacturing agreements worth $35 million, two generic formulation agreements worth $19 million, and two clinical research agreements worth $8 million.
In addition, 42 MoUs worth $216.7 million were signed, covering API manufacturing, biotechnology and vaccines, clinical research, generic medicines, medical devices and herbal medicines.
Minister of State for Health Dr. Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath termed the conference the largest strategic partnership ever established in Pakistan’s health sector, saying it marked the practical beginning of CPEC Phase-II in healthcare. He said the agreements would accelerate local manufacturing, technology transfer, biotechnology, clinical trials and pharmaceutical exports while helping transform Pakistan into a regional hub for medicines, vaccines and medical devices.
Officials announced that an execution dashboard would be established to monitor implementation of the agreements and MoUs to ensure timely progress of projects agreed between Pakistani and Chinese companies.
