Report: Naseem Hassan/ANI
ISLAMABAD –The Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology, chaired by Senator Kamil Ali Agha, met at Parliament House to review the Pakistan General Cosmetics Bill 2026, referred back by the House on October 14, along with amendments proposed by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla.
The meeting was attended by Senator Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto, Senator Husna Bano, Senator Dr Afnan Ullah Khan, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Khalid Hussain Magsi, Federal Minister for Defence Production Muhammad Raza Hayat Harraj and senior officials of the Ministry of Science and Technology.
During the deliberations, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla stressed the need for effective legislation to curb counterfeit cosmetic products and address concerns raised by importers and industry associations. Representatives of the relevant association said the sector had been operating for around 15 years but continued to face challenges due to fake products being sold under established brand names.
Federal Minister for Defence Production Muhammad Raza Hayat Harraj highlighted the need to regulate unsafe and substandard cosmetics to protect public health. Federal Minister for Science and Technology Khalid Hussain Magsi emphasized that the proposed law should be carefully examined to ensure practical implementation while protecting consumers and supporting domestic industry.
The Committee reviewed the proposed composition of the Board under Section 4, including the representation of relevant stakeholders and government organizations. Senator Saleem Mandviwalla proposed adding two members to the eight-member Board: one Senator and one representative of importers.
Members also discussed overlapping requirements under Section 10, the formulation of rules, registration procedures, safeguards against the misuse of regulatory powers and the timeframe for implementing the proposed law.
The Committee stressed the need for a transparent and practical regulatory framework to prevent counterfeit products, protect consumers from unsafe cosmetics and support legitimate businesses. It decided to invite the Ministry of Law and Justice to its next meeting for further deliberations on the proposed amendments.
