New law on the cards to regulate cosmetic production

Law minister says harmful ingredients found in cosmetics

LAHORE:

Punjab Law Minister Basharat Raja has highlighted that traces of harmful ingredients have been found in some cosmetics and the government has decided to introduce new legislation to regulate cosmetic production.

Presiding over a consultative meeting on Punjab Cosmetics Control Bill 2021, at Civil Secretariat on Thursday, the minister pointed out that at present there was no law exist in the province to take action against those involved in the counterfeit cosmetics business.

“On the directives of Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar,” the minister said, “the process of manufacturing and sale of cosmetics was being brought under the purview of law for which a bill is being tabled in the Punjab Assembly.

The proposed law would make it possible to prevent counterfeit and harmful cosmetics.”

Punjab Primary Health and Secondary Health Department Secretary disclosed that some bleaching creams contained dangerously high levels of lead and the government cannot tolerable anyone involved in this unethical business.

Representatives of the cosmetics manufacturers association also shared their concerns and proposals during the meeting.

Raja directed them to send their suggestions regarding the proposed law and assured them that fair suggestions of the stakeholders would be incorporated in the proposed bill after approval from the chief minister.

In a routine drive against illegal, unregistered and substandard cosmetics, food and other items last month, Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) seized huge quantities of stock of around 50 brands from different departmental stores.

It also served warning notices to three renowned stores.

A spokesperson for the PSQCA highlighted that under the direction of Federal Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, special teams were raiding superstores and seized huge quantity of more than 50 illegal brands of skin cream, shampoo, hair colour, synthetic vinegar, honey, red chillies, turmeric powder, soap, bottled water, LED bulb, tea whitener and iodised salt and sent the samples to a laboratory for testing.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 19^th, 2021.