Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Health Khawaja Imran Nazir has said that minimum good manufacturing practices would be introduced in the cosmetics industry like pharmaceuticals, and a comprehensive strategy and way forward would be formulated with the collaboration of all the stakeholders to regulate the manufacturers.
He said that government would patronise the manufacturers of quality products but a strict action would be taken against cosmetics units involved in the manufacturing of substandard cosmetics or using harmful chemicals, steroids in the ingredients. He said this while addressing a function arranged by Pakistan Cosmetics Manufacturers Association (PCMA) at a local hotel, here today.
Member Punjab Assembly Ghazali Saleem Butt, PCMA Chairman Sheikh Abdul Hameed, members of the association, PML-N Professional Wing Secretary General Saadia Taimoor and other members of cosmetics manufacturers association participated in the function.
Sheikh Abdul Hameed in his welcoming address said that PCMA will fully support the government on its stance against the manufacturers of spurious and substandard medicines, and would also support the campaign against cosmetics manufacturing units using harmful chemicals and other non-recommended ingredients in cosmetics. However, he said that Drug Act should not be applied to cosmetics industry and for this purpose, separate rules and regulations should be formulated. The speakers from PCMA were of the view that there was no check and balance on imported/smuggled cosmetics and there is no quality assurance or expiry date on such products, whereas local industry was facing difficulties despite paying taxes of millions of rupees.
Minister Health Khawaja Imran Nazir said that government wants to promote industry and will address the reservations of PCMA.