Pakistan to strengthen pharmaceutical industry to meet demand, enhance exports

　　ISLAMABAD, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistani government has been making efforts to enhance the pharmaceutical industry to meet rising domestic demand and promote exports, said a minister.

　　"The pharmaceutical industry of Pakistan is playing a crucial role in meeting growing public demand for medicine and promoting exports," said Pakistani caretaker health minister Nadeem Jan while addressing a business delegation on Saturday.

　　The government is working to establish a pharmaceutical park with a public-private partnership, he said, adding that incentives would be offered to the pharmaceutical industry for local production of pharmaceutical raw materials as well as local production of new medicines in the country.

　　Jan said that technology transfer to the country's pharmaceutical sector is the need of the hour, and Pakistan is in contact with friendly countries for technology transfer to improve the sector.

　　The incumbent government plans to digitize the overall health system in the country to meet modern trends, the minister said, adding that the purpose of technology transfer to the medical sector is to strengthen Pakistan's health infrastructure. ■