ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology on Monday approved the Pakistan General Cosmetics Bill, 2026, aimed at regulating cosmetic products and curbing the manufacture and import of substandard makeup and other unsafe items.
The meeting, chaired by Senator Kamil Ali Agha, reviewed the proposed legislation, which seeks to establish a regulatory authority to oversee cosmetic products and protect public health.
Federal Minister for Defence Production Mohammad Raza Hayat Harraj briefed the committee on the need for legislation, warning that unsafe and substandard cosmetics could pose serious health risks, including skin cancer.
He said there was currently inadequate regulatory control over cosmetic products manufactured locally or imported into Pakistan, adding that the absence of proper legislation and standards had also hindered the country’s ability to export cosmetics.
Harraj said Pakistan’s cosmetics industry had considerable potential and that the proposed legislation could help develop the sector by introducing effective regulation and quality standards.
He stressed that locally manufactured and imported cosmetic products needed to be subject to proper checks to ensure consumer safety.
The minister also pointed out that the absence of a dedicated regulatory framework had allowed manufacturers of substandard cosmetics to escape punishment through legal proceedings.
Minister for Science and Technology Khalid Hussain Magsi emphasised the need to establish standards that would enable Pakistani cosmetic products to compete in international markets.
According to the proposed bill, the manufacture and import of substandard cosmetics could be sentenced to imprisonment for up to seven years and fined up to Rs5 million.
Officials from the Ministry of Law and Justice told the committee that the proposed legislation would provide a legal basis for penalising those involved in manufacturing and importing substandard cosmetic products.
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The committee also stressed the need for effective regulation of cosmetic products, action against counterfeit goods and safeguards to prevent the misuse of regulatory powers.