ISLAMABAD: Frequent consumption of artificial sweeteners and flavoured drinks contributes to early-onset diabetes and increases the risk of serious diseases, including certain forms of cancer, government officials told a parliamentary panel on Monday.

During a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research at Parliament House, officials from the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority briefed lawmakers on the severe health hazards associated with sugar substitutes.

Citing findings from the National Institutes of Health, officials warned that regular consumption of synthetic drinks and artificial sweeteners poses a significant threat to public health.

They noted that children, pregnant women and lactating mothers are immediate victims, facing heightened vulnerability to chronic metabolic disorders and oncological diseases.

The committee, chaired by lawmaker Syed Hussain Tariq, directed the PSQCA to convene its technical committee in Islamabad at the earliest to address the adverse impacts and formulate policy recommendations. That session will include three standing committee members, along with representatives from the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, the NIH, mango growers and other stakeholders.

Lawmakers ordered the PSQCA to review and revise existing quality standards within two months to strengthen the regulatory framework for artificial sweeteners and flavoured beverages.

The updated regulations must enforce mandatory and accurate product labelling, prevent misleading claims, require prominent health warnings and clear expiry dates, determine appropriate fruit pulp ratios and regulate plastic bottle packaging.

The NIH was also instructed to provide scientific evidence and international best practices to support the policy revision.

In addition to public health regulations, the committee examined the exclusion of a proposed Dates Research Centre in Khairpur from the Public Sector Development Prog­­ramme for fiscal year 2026–27.

The project is a joint venture between the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council and Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur.

A representative from the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives said fiscal space constraints forced the Ministry of National Food Security and Research to prioritise only three new development schemes, leaving the dates centre excluded.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2026