Federal health authorities are moving forward with plans to establish the Pakistan Food and Drug Authority (FDA), a centralised regulatory body aimed at unifying standards for food, pesticides, and cosmetics.
According to a news report, the initiative will replace the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and is intended to align Pakistan with global health and safety standards.
The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with DRAP, the Ministry of Food, provincial governments, and other stakeholders, is finalising recommendations for the authority. A formal concept note outlining the framework will be submitted to the prime minister in the coming weeks for approval.
The second review meeting on the creation of the Pakistan FDA was held at DRAP, chaired by the Prime Minister’s Coordinator for Health, Dr. Mukhtar Bharath, and attended by DRAP CEO Asim Rauf and other senior stakeholders. During the discussion, Dr. Bharath stressed the need for a centralised authority to address challenges posed by the current fragmented regulatory framework.
At present, food regulation is managed by provincial governments with varying standards, while pesticides fall under the Ministry of Food. This division has resulted in regulatory gaps, including the use of harmful chemicals in pesticides entering the food chain, causing long-term health risks.
The proposed Pakistan FDA aims to consolidate oversight for food, pesticides, and cosmetics to ensure compliance with global quality and safety benchmarks.
Dr. Bharath explained that this unified approach would protect public health and improve Pakistan’s export potential by meeting stringent international requirements.
“Many countries demand central certification from a credible authority for imports,” Dr. Bharath noted, adding that the centralised FDA would enhance the quality of local products while opening up export opportunities for food and related goods.
A key objective of the Pakistan FDA is to ensure that pesticides are treated as chemicals with potential health risks rather than solely as agricultural inputs. This approach will address significant gaps in the current system and ensure that consumables and cosmetic products adhere to international safety standards.
