Cosmetics Bill 2026: Senate panel backs up to 7 years in jail and Rs 5 million fine for substandard makeup

Making or importing substandard cosmetics in Pakistan could bring up to seven years in prison and a fine of up to Rs 5 million under the Pakistan General Cosmetics Bill, 2026, which the Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology approved on Monday 26 October 2026, ARY News reported. The committee is chaired by Senator Kamil Ali Agha.

What the bill does

• Sets up a regulator: a new regulatory authority to oversee cosmetic products and protect public health. The report did not name the body or say how it would sit alongside existing regulators.
• Targets fake and unsafe products: it is aimed at the manufacture and import of substandard and counterfeit makeup, creams and other cosmetics.
• Penalties: up to seven years' imprisonment and up to Rs 5 million in fines for making or importing substandard products.
• Standards for exports: ministers want common standards so Pakistani cosmetics can compete abroad.

What ministers said

Defence Production Minister Mohammad Raza Hayat Harraj said unsafe cosmetics can cause serious health problems, including skin cancer, and that weak oversight had also hurt exports. Science and Technology Minister Khalid Hussain Magsi said the law should set standards that let local products sell abroad. Law ministry officials said it would give a legal basis for punishing those who make or import substandard goods.

The committee also asked for strong action against counterfeits and safeguards against misuse of the new regulator's powers.

What happens next

Committee approval is one step. The bill still has to pass the Senate and the National Assembly and be signed into law before any penalty applies. We will update this story as it moves.

What it means for you

Until the law is in force, the usual checks apply when buying makeup and skin creams: buy from known shops, look for the maker's name, address and batch number on the pack, check the expiry date, and stop using anything that burns or causes a rash. Shoppers buying imported products should be aware that prices include import duties and sales tax; the sales tax calculator shows how much of a price is tax.