Islamabad : In a significant step toward fostering scientific advancement and regulatory excellence, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (OIC-COMSTECH) and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at a formal ceremony.
The MoU was signed by Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, Mustafa Coordinator General OIC-COMSTECH and Dr. Obaidullah, Chief Executive Officer of DRAP. The ceremony was attended by senior officials from both organizations, including directors from DRAP and members of the COMSTECH delegation.
The MoU aims to strengthen collaboration between the two institutions, with a focus on enhancing regulatory capacity, promoting scientific cooperation, and facilitating the exchange of knowledge among OIC Member States. Priority areas include pharmaceuticals, vaccine development, biotechnology, alternative medicines, and digital health regulation.
In his welcome address, CEO DRAP Dr. Obaidullah emphasized the urgency of building Pakistan’s regulatory infrastructure. He highlighted the need for strategic initiatives in indigenous production of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and vaccine manufacturing.
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, in his remarks, underscored COMSTECH’s commitment to supporting national and regional regulatory systems. He proposed organizing a national roadshow to showcase the research and development capacities of local academic and scientific institutions. Additionally, he offered support for training programs, registration of institutions in the OIC Technology and Innovation Portal, and expansion of the COMSTECH Scholarship Programme for regulatory and scientific personnel.
He also proposed the development of a harmonized regulatory framework to facilitate cross-border trade of therapeutic goods among OIC Member States, drawing on successful models such as the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Furthermore, Prof. Choudhary assured COMSTECH’s technical assistance in Pakistan’s efforts to attain WHO Maturity Level-3, a benchmark of global regulatory competence and transparency.
The signing of the MoU reflects the shared vision of COMSTECH and DRAP to promote innovation, self-reliance, and science-based governance in the health and pharmaceutical sectors. Both organizations reaffirmed their commitment to leveraging collective expertise to benefit public health systems across the Islamic world.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
