Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology on Tuesday reviewed proposed amendments to the Islamabad Capital Territory Food Safety Act and expressed serious concern over rising diabetes cases and the growing consumption of sugary beverages and energy drinks among children and adolescents.
The meeting, chaired by Senator Kamil Ali Agha at Parliament House, was attended by Senator Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto, Senator Husna Bano, Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, Senator Muhammad Aslam Abro, the Federal Minister for Science and Technology and senior officials of the Ministry.
The Committee considered the Private Member Bill titled “The Islamabad Capital Territory Food Safety (Amendment) Bill, 2025,” introduced by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri.
The proposed legislation seeks to regulate the sale and consumption of high-sugar and high-caffeine beverages, particularly among children and adolescents, promote healthier alternatives and strengthen implementation of the Islamabad Capital Territory Food Safety Act, 2021.
Speaking on the bill, Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri expressed concern over the increasing prevalence of diabetes and unhealthy eating habits among children, stating that Pakistan ranks among the countries most affected by diabetes due to inadequate regulatory oversight. She also observed that a 250ml bottle of soft drink contains approximately nine tablespoons of sugar.
The Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, informed the Committee that certain provisions of the proposed legislation exceeded the legal jurisdiction of the relevant authority and overlapped with the existing regulatory framework. He suggested incorporating the proposed changes into the existing law instead of introducing a separate legal framework.
Representatives of the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority informed the Committee that standards for such products had already been developed and warned that creating parallel standards would result in duplication and legislative conflict.
The Committee agreed that the bill would be revised accordingly to eliminate overlapping provisions while achieving its public health objectives.
Members also expressed concern over the increasing consumption of energy drinks among children and adolescents, observing that excessive use had become a serious public health issue. The Committee also discussed concerns that mixing such drinks with certain readily available syrups could produce intoxicating effects.