Report: ANI
ISLAMABAD — The Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH), in collaboration with its coalition partners, has intensified its advocacy for mandatory Front-of-Pack Warning Labels (FOPWL) on ultra-processed products (UPPs) to help consumers make informed and healthier food choices.
As part of the initiative, PANAH has established the **PANAH Lawyers Forum** to strengthen legal support, advance policy advocacy and protect consumers’ right to clear information about unhealthy food products. Representatives of the Pakistan Kidney Patients Association, HeartFiles, Pakistan Medical Association and Pakistan Association of Family Physicians attended the event.
PANAH President Maj Gen (retd) Masud Ur Rehman Kiani highlighted the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Pakistan, stating that they account for approximately 60 per cent of total deaths. He said more than 35 million Pakistanis are living with diabetes, while obesity and cardiovascular diseases continue to place a significant burden on families and the healthcare system.
PANAH General Secretary Sana Ullah Ghumman said mandatory front-of-pack warning labels were essential to alert consumers to products containing excessive sugar, salt and unhealthy fats. He emphasised that effective public health protection required collective efforts by policymakers, legal professionals, healthcare experts, academia, media and civil society.
He urged the government and relevant regulatory authorities, particularly the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), to expedite the adoption and implementation of mandatory FOPWL regulations while prioritising public health.
Speaking on behalf of the newly formed PANAH Lawyers Forum, Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan Akhlaq Awan expressed support for the initiative, saying the legal community would contribute its expertise to strengthen consumer protection and the regulatory framework. He stressed that access to accurate food information was a matter of consumer rights and public interest.
Participants called on the government to introduce clear and easily understandable mandatory warning labels on ultra-processed products and take regulatory measures to protect children, young people and future generations from preventable diet-related diseases.
The coalition reaffirmed its commitment to joint advocacy until mandatory Front-of-Pack Warning Labels are implemented in Pakistan.
