Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has conferred the ‘Reform Champion’ award on Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan Chief Executive Officer Dr Obaidullah Malik, recognising efforts to modernise regulation, improve transparency and efficiency, and strengthen public health protection.
In a statement following the award, Dr Obaidullah said the recognition reflected the collective work of the DRAP team and reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to building a science-based and globally aligned regulatory system to ensure the availability of safe and effective therapeutic goods.
The Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association congratulated the DRAP chief on the award, saying the recognition reflected regulatory reforms that have supported the pharmaceutical industry and strengthened the sector.
PPMA Senior Vice Chairman and AGP Limited Managing Director and CEO Kamran Nasir said DRAP’s recent approach focused on creating an enabling regulatory environment while maintaining oversight. He said aligning reforms with industry realities and eliminating spurious medicines would be important for positioning Pakistan as a pharmaceutical export hub.
DRAP’s reforms include deregulation of prices for non-essential medicines in February 2024, allowing manufacturers to set prices in line with production costs, while retaining price control over essential and life-saving drugs. Industry representatives said the move improved medicine availability, reduced black marketing and helped curb the circulation of counterfeit products.
The authority also allowed price adjustments under hardship cases, enabling manufacturers to resume production of medicines that had previously been withdrawn due to cost pressures.
According to industry data, pharmaceutical exports rose 34% in the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025, reaching $457 million, marking the sector’s strongest export growth in two decades.
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