Medicine Imports Halted from Pakistan, Causing Shortages and Price Hikes

DID Press: Taliban’s Ministry of Finance announced a full ban on the import of all medicines from Pakistan, effective Feb. 9, forcing Afghan traders to seek alternative supply routes. A ministry spokesperson said that in addition to medicines, the transfer of all types of contraband goods is prohibited, and violators will face prosecution.

The decision comes amid escalating political tensions and border clashes with Pakistan, which have led to the closure of key transit points.

Previously, the Taliban government gave traders a 19‑day deadline to conclude all commercial transactions and paperwork with Pakistan. Since the import ban took effect, many medicines have become scarce in Kabul, and prices—especially for essential drugs such as cardiac medications—have risen sharply.

Before the ban, over 70 percent of Afghanistan’s imported medicines came from Pakistan.

To address the growing shortages, Taliban officials have traveled to India, Iran, and Turkey to secure alternative pharmaceutical supplies. Despite these efforts, citizens are protesting soaring prices; one resident of Herat complained that the cost of medicine has reached a level “equivalent to human blood value.”