In Pakistan’s Punjab province, the Chief Minister and Prime Minister recently inaugurated the Punjab Agriculture, Food and Drug Authority (PAFDA). The new agency is designed to bring food, agriculture, and drug testing under a single regulatory framework to strengthen food safety and export compliance.
One in five people in Pakistan suffer from foodborne illnesses every year, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). This is twice the global average and leads to an estimated productivity loss of US$1.7 billion annually. A paper published in Legal Research & Analysis points to fragmented regulatory authority as one major barrier to an effective food safety system in Pakistan. In Punjab, officials hope coordinated action under the new agency will make the food supply safer.
PAFDA is currently working to merge 23 laboratories, including food, agriculture, and health departments. They plan to collaborate closely with farmers, industry, and regulators to ensure services are practical and responsive. This includes expanding food and drug testing in areas where capabilities have been limited.
“Our focus will continue to remain on investing in our people,” Talat Naseer Pasha, Director General of PAFDA, tells Food Tank. “Our aim is to support compliance, not simply enforce standards.”
PAFDA aims to separate testing from enforcement, and to bring scientific analysis and conformance functions under one independent institution equipped with modern technology, says Pasha. They hope this transition will help them build regulatory credibility, improve compliance with international accreditation standards, and create shared infrastructure that supports exports and public health.
Pasha says that most exporters currently rely on advanced food, agriculture, and pharmaceutical testing outside of Pakistan. By making accredited testing available domestically, the agency aims to help businesses verify compliance with international standards more quickly and affordably. Local testing may also contribute to more effective policy. He believes the agency’s move towards an integrated regulatory framework can serve as a model for other regions in Pakistan.
For food safety and agricultural regulation, “PAFDA represents an important step towards an evidence-based system that can strengthen public health protection, improve regulatory enforcement, and promote confidence in trade,” Aleena Kokab, Senior Microbiology Scientist at at the agency, tells Food Tank.
The Food Testing Lab will analyze food products for safety, quality, and nutritional content to support accurate labeling and regulatory compliance. The Agriculture Testing Lab will assess agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, and water quality. It will also conduct pesticide residue testing in food and water to strengthen food safety and support compliance with export standards.
A study in the journal Water finds that pesticide residues were detected in nearly all water samples collected from 15 of Punjab’s districts. The labs will examine pesticides and other contamination risks at various points in the food system, from farm inputs to end products.
As PAFDA builds its scientific workforce in Lahore, the agency is investing in a hostel for women scientists who are relocating or commuting from outside the city. “This is an important step in improving diversity and inclusion and in building the next generation of scientific leadership,” Pasha says.
Women make up around 70 percent of the agency’s scientists, and the hostel is intended to reduce barriers related to travel and housing.
“In localities like mine, talented women often step back from science due to safety concerns, long commutes, and lack of supportive living facilities,” PAFDA Food Scientist Manahil Zafar, who lives in a small district 350 kilometers outside of Lahore, tells Food Tank. “PAFDA’s women scientists’ hostel breaks these barriers by providing a secure environment where women can focus on their careers without compromise.”
Alongside the establishment of PAFDA comes the launch of Punjab’s Agriculture Lab on Wheels initiative, which will deploy mobile labs across 15 districts to provide real-time soil and water analyses. The Agriculture Department of the Government of Punjab hopes that bringing testing closer to farmers will allow them to quickly assess soil fertility and water quality, receive more timely guidance to inform crop-planning, and improve agricultural productivity.
The program will be supported by a central monitoring control room and 100 container-based facilitation centers staffed with advisers and equipped with digital tools for farmers. Mobile units will provide initial screening in rural areas, while PAFDA conducts confirmatory testing.
“PAFDA is still a young institution, but it represents a long-term investment in strengthening Punjab’s food and agriculture systems,” Pasha says. “Our hope is that it will contribute to safer food, stronger farmer livelihoods, and greater confidence in the quality of what Punjab produces.”
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Photo courtesy of PAFDA
