A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE FOOD SAFETY LAWS IN PAKISTAN: CHALLENGES AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Abstract

Food safety is a highly significant aspect of population health, as well as a factor of consumer protection and sustainable development. Lack of coordinated legal frameworks, ineffective enforcement frameworks, and ineffective institutional coordination which was largely enhanced in the aftermath of the 18th Constitutional Amendment that decentralized food related regulatory requirements to the provinces in Pakistan, has escalated the problem of insecure and contaminated food. It is also a critical review of the legal environment of food safety in Pakistan, analysis of the law and its application, and judicial interpretation concerning the protection of the health of the people. Adopting doctrinal and qualitative research methodology, the research paper will be founded on statutory research, case law review, policy documentations, media coverage, and academic literature to identify the structural and enforcement related shortcomings/lapses. The findings have revealed that although the provincial laws on the regulation of food safety are prevalent, the enforcement has not been uniform because of limited resources, overlapping jurisdiction, inefficient prosecution and absence of national food safety policy. Safe food is mentioned in the constitution as a right to life, yet the use of the practice remains inadequate. This paper has established that the problems of food safety in Pakistan are multidimensional and require their intersection of laws, greater institutional coordination, greater capacity of enforcement and it is imperative to ensure that these problems are aligned with international food safety standards. The paper will offer practical legal and policy recommendations that will be used to enhance the food safety governance and protect the health of the Pakistan population.