Drug-makers warn against banning raw material import from India.

KARACHI -- Given Pakistan's high dependence on Indian raw material for manufacturing drugs, the government must not ban its import. Otherwise, there would be a 50 per cent loss in drug production. The situation would not only cause shortage of drugs and increase in their prices, but also weaken the country's capability to fight Covid-19.

This warning was given by representatives of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical ManuAAAAAAfacturers' Association at a news conference held on Monday at the press club.

Highlighting concerns of the pharmaceutical industry, PPMA senior vice chairman Syed Farooq Bukhari said the federal cabinet should not take any decision against the import of medicine raw material from India or from any other country when there had been an unabated increase in Covid-19 patients in the country.

'At a time when the federal and provincial governments in the country have been in the process of setting up more and more quarantine centres, isolation facilities, and special hospital wards to accommodate Covid-19 cases, there is a dire need to ensure constant supply of essential medicines to treat coronavirus patients.

Say ban can weaken country's capability to fight Covid-19

'For this, it is mandatory that the pharmaceutical industry of Pakistan should continue with its operations to its full capacity as for this we need a constant supply of raw material from our international clients,' he explained.

The import of pharmaceutical raw material from India or from any other country was done...