ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology on Wednesday approved the Pakistan General Cosmetics Bill, 2026, strengthening oversight of cosmetics amid concerns over potentially harmful products.
The legislation aims to establish a stronger regulatory framework for cosmetics to address the production, import and informal trade of unregulated products that could pose health and skin risks to consumers.
The meeting, chaired by Sen. Kamil Ali Agha at Parliament House, also reviewed the Islamabad Capital Territory Food Safety (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and discussed sea erosion in Sindh.
Officials briefed the committee on the proposed cosmetics legislation and the Pakistan General Cosmetics Regulatory Authority, which was established under the Pakistan General Cosmetics Act, 2023.
Kamil Ali Agha stressed the need for an effective regulatory system as cosmetics become increasingly common with potentially unsafe products, including fairness creams which remain available through unregulated channels.
He also raised concerns about the smuggling and informal trade of cosmetics entering Pakistan without adequate regulatory checks, warning that weak oversight could expose consumers to products that do not meet safety standards.
Defense Production Minister Raza Hayat Harraj said low-quality skin-lightening creams may be linked to a significant number of cancer cases in Pakistan. He said the country currently lacks proper regulation of cosmetic products and warned that some cosmetics contain mercury, a potentially harmful substance.
Earlier, Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Minister Dr. Jamal Nasir announced the campaign will be carried out by special teams made up of officials from the Punjab Healthcare Commission and the Drug Control Directorate of the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department.
The teams will inspect potentially dangerous cosmetic products, check whether they are properly registered and examine beauty clinics and practitioners who provide cosmetic injections or perform different types of aesthetic procedures.
As part of the campaign, authorities are testing beauty creams from 24 well-known brands at the Drug Testing Laboratory in Lahore. Officials said strict legal action will be taken if the products are found to contain harmful chemicals.
Furthermore, recently DRAP has given pharmaceutical companies a final warning to correct and update their product records through its e-App software, after the deadline for online verification expired.The move aims to improve the accuracy of medicine records and strengthen monitoring of pharmaceutical products across Pakistan.
According to DRAP, the deadline for pharmaceutical companies to verify and update their product information online has now passed. Companies that still need to correct or update their records will now have to contact DRAP's Management Information System (MIS) Division.
They will need to submit a formal application explaining the changes they want to make. The committee also examined how the proposed regulatory framework would interact with the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP). Members emphasized the need for clearly defined responsibilities and an effective system of checks and balances between regulatory bodies.
Federal Minister for Science and Technology Khalid Hussain Magsi said smuggling of cosmetics was a separate but related challenge and stressed that effective implementation of the proposed law would be essential to protecting consumers.
Under the proposed bill, people involved in manufacturing or importing substandard cosmetics could face up to seven years in prison and fines of up to 10 million Pakistani rupees.
