Building a Safer, Sustainable and Globally Competitive Food Industry
Zahd Iqbal Chairman, Pakistan Association of Food Industries (PAFI)
As Pakistan joins the global community in marking World Standards Day 2025 under the theme “Shared Vision for a Better World”, the message resonates deeply with the country’s formal packaged food industry.
For an industry that serves millions daily, standards are not just ticking the box, rather, they are the foundation of consumer trust, safety, and competitiveness in an increasingly globalized market.
This year’s focus on SDG 17—Partnerships for the Goals—resonates deeply with our mission to foster collaboration across industry, government, and international bodies to build a resilient and sustainable food sector.
The Pakistan Association of Food Industries (PAFI) represents the country’s leading packaged food manufacturers, and we are at the intersection of this collaboration, working to harmonize national food standards with global best practices.
Pakistan’s packaged food industry is one of the country’s fastest-growing sectors, contributes an estimated Rs. 1.5 trillion, or nearly 27% to value-added production and employing 16% of the industrial workforce. This growth is fueled by rising urbanization, evolving consumer preferences, and increasing demand for safe, nutritious, and convenient food products.
This growth must be coupled with trust. Food safety incidents anywhere in the chain can erode consumer confidence everywhere. That is why PAFI continues to work closely with the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), provincial food authorities, and the Ministry of National Food Security and Research to promote greater alignment and predictability in food standards nationwide.
PAFI plays a pivotal role in this transformation by aligning domestic regulations with global benchmarks and advocating for harmonized standards across provinces. Our active participation in policy consultations ensures that industry perspectives are embedded in decisions on labelling, nutrition disclosure, fortification, and food safety.
By sharing practical, data-backed policy inputs, PAFI helps shape standards that are not only scientifically sound but also economically viable. This strengthens fair competition, enhances consumer protection, and enables Pakistani food manufacturers to meet the stringent requirements of international markets.
One of PAFI’s core strengths lies in its ability to unify the voice of Pakistan’s leading food manufacturers. Through coordinated advocacy, we help create a more predictable regulatory environment—one that reduces compliance burdens, accelerates product registration, and fosters innovation.
These efforts are already paying dividends. Over the past two years, Pakistan has made measurable progress in updating its fortification standards, improving traceability systems, and strengthening lab-based testing capacity across major cities. These developments enhance fair competition among responsible manufacturers and reinforce consumer protection—both of which are key drivers of long-term industry credibility.
Globally, the conversation around food production is shifting from how much we produce to how sustainably we produce it. Environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, and responsible sourcing are now integral to how food companies are evaluated by investors and consumers alike.
PAFI recognizes that sustainability standards are shaping the next phase of the food industry’s evolution. From reducing plastic waste and improving energy efficiency in manufacturing to encouraging responsible sourcing of ingredients, PAFI members are adopting measurable targets aligned with national climate and resource goals.
Such efforts are crucial for Pakistan’s ambition to expand exports of processed and packaged food to high-potential markets in the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia
Looking ahead, PAFI envisions a food ecosystem where standards are not just enforced but embraced as enablers of innovation. The association is investing in shared learning platforms, capacity-building workshops, and public-private dialogues to ensure that both policymakers and producers remain aligned with emerging global trends.
Standards are the language of trust and allow us to collaborate, innovate, and grow responsibly—whether we are talking about food safety, nutrition, or sustainability. The future of Pakistan’s food industry depends on how well we can translate this shared vision into collective action.
As World Standards Day 2025 reminds us, achieving a better world requires more than good intentions—it requires partnerships built on trust, guided by standards, and sustained by shared purpose. Through continued collaboration, Pakistan’s food industry is not just feeding the nation—it is setting the standard for how responsible growth can drive a better, more sustainable future for all.
On this World Standards Day, PAFI calls upon all stakeholders—industry leaders, policymakers, regulators, and consumers—to join hands in building a food system that is safe, sustainable, and globally competitive.
