A consultation on food fortification convened at Parliament House in Islamabad on October 29, 2025, bringing together parliamentarians, development partners and industry representatives to map practical steps for wider implementation of food fortification across Pakistan.
Ms. Shaista Pervaiz Malik, Convenor of the National Parliamentary Taskforce on SDGs, chaired the session and stressed that food fortification remains a cost effective way to address widespread micronutrient deficiencies among women and children and to advance Pakistan’s commitments under SDG 2.
Nutrition International delivered a detailed presentation outlining evidence and technical requirements for fortifying staple foods. Industry participants highlighted operational challenges including machinery upgrades, quality control systems and reliable premix procurement, while noting that the incremental cost per 20 kilogram bag of wheat flour is minimal compared with the long term health and economic benefits.
Members of Parliament reiterated the need to close the gap between legislation and implementation, emphasizing that effective enforcement, routine monitoring and clear quality assurance protocols are essential for successful food fortification. They argued that regulatory clarity and support for millers will be key to scale up fortified wheat flour, edible oil and salt across urban and rural markets.
Participants agreed that public confidence and understanding of food fortification must be strengthened through transparent communication, behaviour change campaigns and engagement with religious scholars and community leaders. Parliamentarians noted that outreach approaches that work in Islamabad may not translate directly to rural districts, and that localized strategies will be necessary to ensure nationwide coverage.
The meeting was attended by MNAs Asia Naz Tanoli, Sher Ali Arbab, Barrister Danyal Chaudhary, Riaz Fatyana, Tahir Iqbal, Nuzhat Sadiq, Zeb Jaffar, Syed Qasim Ali Gillani, Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Dr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti, and Senator Afnanullah Khan, who reaffirmed their commitment to advance policy measures that make food fortification an integral part of Pakistan’s nutrition security agenda.
