Citi Pharma Ltd. has surged past competitors to become Pakistan’s largest antibiotics producer after installing automated production lines with Chinese partner Xin Weisheng, boosting output at its Phool Nagar facility tenfold to 100,000 vials a day.
The milestone comes as Pakistan remains heavily dependent on foreign supplies, importing $126 million worth of antibiotics in 2023—84% of them from China. By scaling up local production, Citi Pharma is positioning itself at the center of efforts to cut import reliance and shield the healthcare system from global supply shocks.
Managing Director Zameer Ul Hassan said the expansion builds on the company’s strength as one of the country’s biggest active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) makers. Xin Weisheng’s director, Yuting Shao, called the project a model of how advanced manufacturing can bolster healthcare resilience.
The partnership, launched in 2021, highlights how foreign technology transfer is reshaping Pakistan’s pharmaceutical sector and giving the economy a measure of self-sufficiency in a critical industry.
