ISLAMABAD: U.S. authorities have sounded a major international public-health alarm after detecting extremely high levels of mercury and lead in certain Pakistan-origin skin-lightening creams and kohl (surma) products being sold in New York City, raising concerns that the incident could damage Pakistan’s export credibility.
According to an official communication received by the Ministry of Commerce, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene reported mercury concentrations up to 30,000 times higher than the permissible U.S. limit of 1 ppm, and lead levels up to 98,000 times the allowed threshold of 10 ppm. These products, allegedly originating from Pakistan, have been linked to cases of mercury poisoning and elevated blood-lead levels among New York residents, prompting U.S. regulators to alert Pakistani authorities.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States has warned Islamabad that the development could undermine Pakistan’s export reputation, result in trade restrictions, and raise serious questions over the country’s product-safety regime.
In response, the Ministry of Science and Technology has directed the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) and the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) to immediately collect representative samples of all skin-lightening creams and kohl/surma available in the domestic market — including, where possible, samples meant for export. Both organisations have been instructed to conduct full laboratory analyses for mercury, lead, and other hazardous substances in line with national and international safety standards, and to submit a comprehensive toxicology and conformity-assessment report on an urgent basis. The findings will be forwarded to the Commerce Division for onward communication to U.S. authorities.
The New York laboratory results have raised concerns about Pakistan’s regulatory controls, including the failure to prevent toxic ingredients in cosmetic products, the presence of unregistered manufacturers in local and export markets, and the lack of routine testing for hazardous substances. Officials fear that similar contaminated products may also be available domestically, posing potential health risks to consumers within Pakistan.
Authorities warn that the situation could lead to an international recall of Pakistani beauty products and compel the government to take strict enforcement measures to avoid trade repercussions. Health experts say the incident could trigger import bans, tighter screening requirements at foreign ports, and long-term reputational damage for Pakistan-made cosmetics.
Officials familiar with the matter said the government is treating the U.S. alert as “a serious and sensitive issue with national implications.”
