Press Release Title: Senator Kamil Ali Agha, Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology Presiding over a Meeting Of The Committee at Parliament House Islamabad

Press Release Date: 26th October, 2026

SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNANIMOUSLY PASSES "THE PAKISTAN GENERAL COSMETICS BILL, 2026" WITH PRO-INDUSTRY AMENDMENTS* A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology was held today at Parliament House under the chairmanship of Senator Kamil Ali Agha attended by Senators Husna Bano and Dr Afnan Ullah Khan to consider "The Pakistan General Cosmetics Bill, 2026". The bill had been referred back by the House during its sitting on October 14, 2026, along with amendments moved by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla. During the proceedings, the Committee reviewed all the Sections one by one. The Secretary Science and Technology briefed the Committee that, pursuant to earlier directions, consultations were held with key stakeholders to incorporate their point of view. The Chairman warmly welcomed the participating stakeholders, including representatives from the Pakistan Cosmetic Manufacturers Association.   Addressing the regulatory aspects, the Chairman inquired about the total number of companies and sought clarification regarding their registration status with the Directorate General of Trade Organizations (DGTO), FBR, SECP, and Sales Tax departments. It was highlighted that active participation of registered industry representatives is essential to ensure that genuine feedback and amendments are reflected in the legislative process.   The Secretary explained that omitting the word "General" before "Association" in the bill's definitions would ensure broader representation, covering all domestic manufacturers. The Committee agreed that creating associations across different regions should be straightforward, emphasizing that legislative frameworks must avoid creating cumbersome restrictions or operational hurdles for emerging businesses. The Committee subsequently accepted the revised definition amendment to benefit both importers and local manufacturers. Further discussions touched upon market dynamics, raw material imports, and finished product distribution. The Chairman examined the ratio between raw material imports utilized for local manufacturing and direct imports of finished cosmetic goods. Following detailed deliberations and mutual consensus, the Senate Standing Committee unanimously passed "The Pakistan General Cosmetics Bill, 2026" with the incorporated amendments.   The Committee meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Defence Production as Special Invitee, Minister for Science and Technology along with Secretary and other senior officials . Law Division legal team was also there to assist the committee with the.