Pakistan’s Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology has approved a bill restricting the sale and distribution of high-sugar and high-caffeine beverages — including energy drinks — in and around educational institutions in Islamabad, with fines of up to Rs. 100,000 for violations.
What the Bill Actually Covers
The legislation, formally the Islamabad Capital Territory Food Safety (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was moved by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri and amends the existing Islamabad Capital Territory Food Safety Act, 2021, rather than creating an entirely separate law. The bill introduces specific, measurable thresholds rather than a blanket ban on all caffeinated or sweetened drinks:
| Classification | Threshold (per 100ml) |
|---|---|
| High caffeine beverage | More than 32 milligrams of caffeine |
| High sugar beverage | More than 6 grams of sugar |
Under these thresholds, the Islamabad Food Authority is empowered to set maximum permissible limits, with beverages exceeding them potentially classified as unsafe for sale near schools, colleges, and other educational institutions. Violations carry fines of up to Rs. 100,000, according to reporting on the bill’s approval.
Why Lawmakers Pushed for This
Senator Zehri framed the bill around Pakistan’s growing diabetes crisis, noting that the country has one of the highest diabetes rates in the world, which she linked directly to inadequate regulatory oversight of sugary and caffeinated beverages. She pointed to a concrete example to illustrate the scale of the problem: a standard 250ml soft drink contains roughly nine teaspoons of sugar — a figure she used to underline just how easily children and adolescents can exceed healthy sugar intake through beverages alone.
The bill specifically targets consumption among children and adolescents, aiming to restrict sale near schools, encourage healthier beverage alternatives, and strengthen enforcement of Islamabad’s existing food safety framework rather than replacing it entirely.
Not Pakistan’s First Move on This
Islamabad isn’t breaking entirely new ground here — Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa already have similar restrictions in place governing the sale of energy drinks near educational institutions, according to reporting on the bill. This legislation effectively brings the federal capital in line with practices already adopted at the provincial level in parts of the country.
Some Regulatory Friction Along the Way
The bill’s path through committee wasn’t entirely smooth. The Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology flagged that some provisions of the proposed legislation fell outside the relevant authority’s jurisdiction and could potentially conflict with the existing regulatory framework. Officials from the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) separately noted that standards for these beverages already exist, warning that introducing a parallel regulatory system risked duplication and legal conflicts. The committee ultimately agreed to revise the bill to align with existing law while preserving its core intent — restricting harmful beverage sales near schools.
What Happens Next
Committee approval is a meaningful step, but it isn’t the final one. The bill still needs to pass a full vote in the Senate, and — depending on its final scope — may require alignment with the National Assembly and relevant regulatory bodies like the PSQCA and Islamabad Food Authority before enforcement mechanisms are actually operational. In the meantime, the specific caffeine and sugar thresholds set in this version give a clear indication of where the eventual regulatory line is likely to land.
Final Thoughts
With Rs. 100,000 fines, clearly defined sugar and caffeine thresholds, and a direct focus on protecting children and adolescents near schools, this bill represents one of the more concrete regulatory steps taken in Pakistan against high-sugar, high-caffeine beverages to date. Whether it becomes fully enforceable law will depend on how quickly it clears the remaining legislative steps — and on how effectively the Islamabad Food Authority can actually implement and monitor these thresholds once the bill takes effect.
