This is apropos a letter to the Editor titled ‘Unsafe food, a regulatory failure’ carried by the newspaper on Monday and yesterday.
In my view, accountability must reach manufacturers and suppliers rather than falling primarily on small retailers, as is often the case.
Producers who knowingly manufacture or distribute unsafe food should face substantial fines, licence suspension and, where appropriate, criminal proceedings.
At the same time, compliant businesses should be encouraged through certification, incentives and stronger quality-assurance systems.
Food safety is not simply a regulatory or commercial matter; it is a public-health obligation. Pakistan cannot aspire to healthier citizens, greater economic productivity or stronger exports while allowing basic food products to fall below safety standards.
The PCSIR findings provide an opportunity for the authorities to move beyond expressions of concern towards sustained action. What is required now is not another temporary campaign, but a permanent culture of testing, enforcement and accountability. Consumers deserve nothing less than safe, nutritious and honestly marketed food.
Samina Aftab, Islamabad
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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