Afghanistan Plans to Ban Import of Pakistani-Made Medicines by End of 2025

In the final days of 2025, Afghanistan’s health sector witnessed one of its most significant announcements when Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Deputy Economic Chief of the Taliban administration, spoke about plans to prevent the import of medicines produced in Pakistan.

These statements, made without providing implementation details, directly impact the country’s pharmaceutical market—a market heavily reliant on imports and responsible for supplying a large portion of residents’ medical needs through foreign medicines.

Although the Taliban administration has not officially explained the purpose of this measure, health experts warn that any hasty decision without securing reliable alternatives could jeopardize patients’ access to essential medicines.

Given that Afghanistan’s health system is already struggling with limited resources and weak oversight, it is expected that the Taliban administration will transparently assess the potential consequences of such restrictions on public health and the urgent needs of people across different regions before implementing them, and engage with the health community accordingly.