The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has launched a massive recruitment drive, opening dozens of positions across the country to bolster its regulatory oversight.
The move comes as the authority faces mounting pressure to expedite drug registrations and tighten quality control standards in a volatile pharmaceutical market. The vacancies span a range of technical and administrative roles, including positions for pharmacists, inspectors, and legal experts. These roles are spread across DRAP’s headquarters in Islamabad, as well as its regional offices in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and Quetta.
For years, the authority has struggled with a significant backlog in drug licensing and price regulation. Industry insiders argue that understaffing has been the primary bottleneck, leaving the watchdog unable to keep pace with the influx of new medicinal applications.
By expanding its workforce, the government aims to reduce the processing time for life-saving drugs and improve the oversight of domestic manufacturing units. The application process is now live, with the authority setting a strict deadline for submissions. Interested candidates must navigate the official portal, though critics point out that the complexity of the requirements may deter some qualified professionals.
“The authority is looking for people who can handle the technical rigors of pharmaceutical law,” a senior official familiar with the hiring process said on condition of anonymity.
“We aren’t just filling desks; we need people who can actually enforce the standards that have been neglected due to our current capacity constraints.
” This expansion is part of a broader push by the Ministry of National Health Services to stabilize the supply chain. Frequent drug shortages and inconsistent quality in the local market have drawn public ire, forcing the health ministry to demand a more proactive approach from DRAP.
Despite the urgency, the effectiveness of this hiring cycle depends on the speed of the vetting process. Previous recruitment attempts within various government regulatory bodies have often stalled in bureaucratic red tape, leaving critical posts vacant for months.
Whether this latest effort will result in a functional increase in oversight or just another layer of administrative shuffling is the question currently facing the pharmaceutical sector. Candidates have until the end of the month to submit their applications, with the authority expected to begin interviews shortly after the vetting window closes.
