Sounding the alarm over a growing national health crisis, Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani on Friday spearheaded a major new initiative to overhaul Pakistan’s food and nutrition systems.
In a high-level consultative session held here at Parliament House, a cross-party parliamentary forum titled ‘Parliamentarians for Food and Nutrition Governance in Pakistan’ was formally introduced to address urgent issues of food safety, undernutrition, obesity, and rising non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
‘We face a silent epidemic-where one population starves, while another consumes empty calories. Without urgent policy action, the health and economic costs will spiral out of control,’ declared one speaker, setting the tone for the event.
The session, titled ‘Food Governance and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs),’ was organized by the Senate Secretariat’s PDU (Parliamentary Development Unit) in collaboration with Impact Research International, Nutrition International, and their partners.
It convened senators, policymakers, experts, and development stakeholders to map a pathway toward safer, healthier, and more sustainable food systems in Pakistan.
Advisor to the Chairman Senate, Ms Rida Qazi, emphasized the need for legislative leadership to prioritize food safety and nutrition for Pakistan’s 240 million citizens.
She reaffirmed the Chairman’s vision of a dedicated parliamentary working group to monitor food systems and align national strategies with global goals, particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).
Zubair Faisal Abbasi, Executive Director of Impact Research International, warned that NCDs are now the leading cause of death in Pakistan, accounting for 60% of mortalities.
He highlighted disturbing statistics: over 40% of Pakistanis are obese and 34.5 million suffer from diabetes, costing the national economy an estimated $2.7 billion annually. He called for urgent reforms in dietary habits, physical activity, and policy frameworks.
Zameer Haider from Nutrition International advocated for mandatory wheat flour fortification to address widespread micronutrient deficiencies, adding that a legislative draft is already prepared for review by the new working group.
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Pakistan’s representative, Ms Amna Bajwa, criticized the country’s outdated agricultural practices, warning that current crop patterns favor high-yield but unhealthy products, aggravating the public health crisis. She advocated for diversifying agriculture towards nutritious alternatives.
Gallup Pakistan’s Executive Director, Bilal Ijaz Gilani, stressed the importance of reliable data collection to design evidence-based nutrition policies.
Senator Masroor Ahsan, Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on National Food Security, supported the initiative and called for structural reforms and ‘smart agriculture’ techniques to ensure long-term food security.
He also lamented weak implementation of existing food safety frameworks. Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Human Resource Development, expressed grave concern over child malnutrition and stunting, warning that these reflect systemic failures that threaten the country’s future.
The key proposals discussed included: Front-of-pack warning labels, Taxes on unhealthy foods, Stricter advertising regulations, Improved food environments in schools and hospitals, Conflict-of-interest safeguards in policymaking, Transitioning support from sugar and grains to pulses and other healthy crops.
The session concluded with a collective pledge by participating senators and partners to formalize the parliamentary working group in the coming weeks.
The body will serve as a permanent forum to drive legislative action, monitor implementation, and ensure that food and health governance remains at the forefront of national policy.