• PSQCA finds formalin and phosphate in samples
• Commissioner says Rs220 per litre milk price was fixed on Nov 27 and retailers strictly told to ensure quality

KARACHI: The city commissioner has informed the Sindh High Court that all milk samples collected from Karachi were found unfit for human consumption by the Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority.

The report, which was submitted on behalf of the commissioner, also said that presence of formalin in 22 samples and phosphate in eight samples indicated extensive adulteration.

It also maintained that there was no justification for any increase in the price of fresh milk particularly due to decline in consumption of milk related products in winter.

Citing the department of agriculture, supply and price, the commissioner and others as respondents, a petition was filed in 2023 by a dairy farmer impugning a notification about the official price of fresh milk fixed in October 2023.

A report on behalf of the commissioner of Karachi was placed before a two-judge constitutional bench of the SHC headed by Justice Adnan Iqbal Chaudhry in compliance with the last court order.

The report said that the impugned notification as well as subsequent notifications were issued for revision of milk prices after due deliberations with all relevant stakeholders and in pursuant to court directives, various meetings were convened with all stakeholders to finalise milk prices.

However, it maintained that the hygiene practices and safety standards followed by wholesalers/farmers/retailers were hazardous to human health.

The report also said that an exercise of the quality checking of milk samples were conducted across the city on the request of a milk retailer association and the same were sent to the PSQCA for sampling.

“After testing, the PSQCA declared all the samples unfit for human consumption. In the meeting held on 20.11.2025, a representative of the PSQCA stated that due to unhygienic practices adopted by farmers, wholesalers and retailers, the milk was found unfit for human consumption. He further noted that the presence of formalin in 22 samples and phosphate in eight samples, indicates extensive adulteration”, it added.

The commissioner in his report further stated that in order to address the issue of adulteration, the milk sellers’ associations were instructed to formulate joint Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure proper hygiene and safety practices and the same were prepared and submitted to the commissioner office on Nov 25.

It maintained that in a meeting held on Nov 20, a representative of the bureau of supply & prices observed that there was no justification for any increase in milk prices at this stage particularly in view of the seasonal decline in the consumption of milk-related products in winter and anticipated that the prices were likely to decrease in the coming month.

Subsequently, the report also said that a fresh notification was issued on Nov 27, fixing the maximum retail price of fresh milk at Rs220 per litre and all the associations were instructed to adhere to the notified rates, maintain proper measurement practices and ensure quality strictly in accordance with the SOPs.

The bench in its order noted that since no one was present for the petitioner to dispute such reports, same were taken on record.

Earlier, the petitioner had stated that he was aggrieved by a notification issued on Oct 3, 2023 whereby milk price in a certain way per litre had been fixed by the provincial authorities which was less than the actual price as per formula devised by the government itself.

In May, the bench had directed the commissioner to consider representations/applications of all the stakeholders, including the petitioner, and provide them a fair and proper hearing and fix the milk price in Karachi in accordance with law and the formula already in existence within a period of one month.

Disposing of the petition, the bench had also directed the commissioner to file compliance report after one month through member inspection Team-I of SHC for perusal in the chamber.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2025