The 13th International Pharma Convention: the themes that shaped the debate
Pakistan Pharma Vision 2030, exports, PIC/S compliance, AI and track and trace dominated the 2025 convention at Pharma Asia.
In this article
The International Pharma Convention has run alongside Pharma Asia every year since 2014. Its 13th edition, in December 2025, gave a clear view of what is on the industry’s mind.
Compliance, capacity and connectivity
The opening panel, moderated by Dr Syed Azizur Rab of Greenstar Social Marketing, asked how Pakistan’s pharma industry can meet global compliance standards, build capacity and connect to world markets. Panellists included Muhammad Kamran Nasir of AGP Limited, Tauqeer Ul Haq of Sante, Dr Shahnawaz Sajid of HighQ Pharmaceuticals and Arshad Raheem of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan. Talks covered quality compliance for exports, end-to-end logistics and Annex 1 for sterile production.
Pakistan Pharma Vision 2030
A second session focused on building an AI-ready, export-competitive ecosystem, with sessions on digital supply chains, patient safety and AI-driven export growth, and on how data and AI are changing the path from molecule to market.
PIC/S and DRAP
The closing day, 4 December, examined the pathway to PIC/S compliance from both sides: the industry’s experience, presented by Getz Pharma, and DRAP’s presentation on its transformation initiatives. The panel included speakers from DRAP, Abbott Laboratories Pakistan, Atco Laboratories, HighQ Pharmaceuticals and ZAFA Pharmaceutical Laboratories. Our article on DRAP’s phased PIC/S plan explains what has happened since.
Supply chains and logistics
Another strand of the convention looked at what happens after a medicine leaves the factory. End-to-end logistics and supply-chain excellence were discussed as part of export competitiveness: temperature control, reliable freight, documentation for customs and regulators, and the visibility to know where a consignment is at any moment. For exporters, a late or poorly documented shipment can undo the work of a perfectly made product.
Why these themes belong together
Read together, the sessions describe one agenda. Exports require international compliance; compliance requires PIC/S-aligned quality systems and, for sterile products, Annex 1; quality systems and traceability increasingly depend on data and digital tools; and all of it has to be supported by a regulator that is itself moving towards international benchmarks. The convention’s value was in putting the industry and DRAP on the same stage to discuss each step.
From debate to regulation
| Theme in December 2025 | What has happened since |
|---|---|
| Pathway to PIC/S compliance | Phased PIC/S GMP plan approved in February 2026 |
| 2D barcoding and track and trace | 2D barcodes mandatory from 9 October 2026 |
| Regulatory transformation | DRAP named an ICH Observer in June 2026; WHO Maturity Level 3 targeted |
| Export competitiveness | Export roadmap and targets under discussion after the Afghan border closure |
For companies that attended, much of 2026’s regulatory news will have sounded familiar. That is the point of an annual forum: to give the industry time to prepare. See the PIC/S plan and the WHO Level 3 drive.
Who was in the room
The panels brought together the regulator, standards bodies, Pakistani manufacturers of different sizes, multinational companies, international technology suppliers and trade officials. That mix matters. A rule on barcodes, for example, touches the regulator who writes it, the standards body that defines the code, the manufacturer who prints it, the machinery supplier who installs the printer and the distributor who scans it. Discussing it with all of them present helps surface practical problems early, before they turn into delays on the factory floor.
2D barcoding and track and trace
A further panel, with DRAP, GS1 Pakistan, GSK Pakistan and Bosch Pharmaceuticals, looked at implementing 2D barcodes and a track and trace system — a requirement that has now arrived (see 2D barcodes are now mandatory).
The convention returns with Pharma Asia 2026.
