Pakistan needs a culture of regulation based on science, accountability and coordination. Food safety is a basic public responsibility, not a secondary administrative matter. Protecting consumers today will reduce health risks tomorrow, strengthen confidence in institutions and help build a market where quality not merely price determines success. The alarming findings of the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) on the quality of ghee, cooking oil and milk products should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers and regulators. The discovery of excessive trans-fats, high peroxide values, deficient vitamins and other quality violations in food products is not merely a technical or commercial issue; it is a direct public health concern.
The scale of non-compliance revealed through the testing of 491 samples is particularly troubling. In some regions, a substantial proportion of Banaspati ghee and cooking oil samples failed to meet prescribed standards. Packaged milk and milk powder also showed serious deficiencies, including inadequate milk fat and protein levels. Such findings raise fundamental questions about the effectiveness of Pakistan’s food safety and quality-control mechanisms. Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal was right to call for immediate enforcement and a coordinated national framework. Pakistan cannot afford a fragmented system in which federal and provincial authorities operate without sufficient coordination while manufacturers and suppliers escape meaningful accountability.
The most important aspect of the minister’s directive is the emphasis on targeting manufacturers rather than merely punishing retailers. Retailers are often the last link in a supply chain whose quality problems originate much earlier. If substandard products are being manufactured, regulatory action must reach the source. Otherwise, enforcement becomes symbolic rather than corrective. The government must also move beyond occasional inspections and establish regular, scientific and transparent testing. Food safety cannot depend on sporadic campaigns after public concern has already emerged. A quarterly monitoring mechanism, as directed by the minister, is a positive step, but it should cover urban as well as rural markets. The poor quality of products reaching rural communities deserves particular attention because consumers there may have fewer alternatives and less access to reliable information.
The findings also underline the need for greater transparency. Consumers have a right to know whether the food placed on market shelves meets national standards. Regulatory authorities should publish testing results, identify repeat offenders and ensure that penalties are sufficiently strong to discourage deliberate violations. At the same time, enforcement should not become synonymous with shutting down industries. The objective should be to make manufacturers comply with safety standards, invest in quality control and produce goods that are safe for consumers and competitive in international markets. Strong domestic standards can ultimately strengthen Pakistan’s export potential by improving confidence in Pakistani products.
The issue of LPG prices discussed by the National Price Monitoring Committee also reflects a broader regulatory challenge. When a large portion of households depend on LPG for cooking, a gap between notified prices and prevailing market rates requires timely investigation and corrective action.