Serious public health concern has been highlighted in Karachi after a recent laboratory investigation revealed that every tested milk sample collected across the city was declared unsafe for consumption. The Sindh High Court was informed that widespread adulteration and harmful contamination had been detected throughout the dairy supply chain, raising significant questions about safety standards followed by farmers, wholesalers and retailers. Consequently, strong concern has been voiced by officials, and comprehensive regulatory actions have been proposed to address the crisis.
All Milk Samples Declared Unsafe by PSQCA
During the court hearing, it was disclosed that every collected milk sample had failed the quality and safety checks conducted by the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority. According to the official report, harmful substances were identified in nearly all samples, indicating that dangerous adulteration was being practiced routinely throughout the supply chain. Moreover, extensive contamination was confirmed, which suggested that unhygienic conditions were being tolerated at multiple production and distribution stages.
The investigation showed that formalin was found in twenty-two samples, which raised immediate alarm due to the substance’s toxicity and its banned status in food items. Additionally, phosphate was detected in eight samples, which indicated further adulteration meant to artificially thicken milk or prolong its shelf life. Because these chemicals pose serious health threats, officials stressed that continued consumption of such contaminated milk could result in long-term medical complications for residents.
For readers wanting to understand how food quality standards work in Pakistan, helpful guidance is available on the Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority website, which provides regulatory details and inspection procedures:
No Grounds Found for Any Milk Price Increase
Furthermore, the report noted that no logical justification existed for any proposed increase in milk prices within Karachi. It was mentioned that milk consumption usually decreases during the winter season because demand for dairy-based products declines across households. Therefore, a rise in prices was considered unreasonable, especially when product quality had already been declared unsafe by the authorities.
For related city demographic insights, you may review our internal article: “Karachi set to Become World’s 5th Largest City: UN”.
Court Hearing Highlights Deeper Supply Chain Issues
The findings were presented before a two-member bench headed by Justice Adnan Iqbal Chaudhry. The matter stemmed from a petition filed in 2023 by a dairy farmer who had challenged the official milk price determined by the authorities in October 2023. Although the petition focused on pricing concerns, the presented data revealed a much deeper issue linked to severe safety violations.
The city commissioner explained that all recent price notifications had been issued after extensive consultations with all relevant stakeholders, which included farmers, distributors, wholesalers and retailers. These notifications were also prepared in accordance with previously issued court directives. However, despite the structured pricing mechanisms, the commissioner emphasized that the real crisis had emerged due to unsafe and unregulated handling practices across the entire dairy network.
PSQCA Confirms Widespread Adulteration
On the request of a milk retailers’ association, samples collected from across Karachi were sent for analysis to the PSQCA. After a detailed investigation, the authority declared that every single sample was unfit for human consumption. This declaration further strengthened the earlier claims that adulteration had become an established and hazardous practice in the market.
During a meeting held on November 20, the PSQCA representative stated that adulteration was being carried out mainly because unhygienic methods were adopted at multiple levels. It was explained that farmers often used unsafe materials during the milking process, and wholesalers sometimes stored milk in unclean containers. Similarly, retailers were found to be using practices that failed to comply with basic hygiene principles.
Development of SOPs to Improve Milk Quality
As a result of the alarming findings, milk sellers’ associations were instructed to prepare joint Standard Operating Procedures aimed at improving hygiene and addressing contamination risks. These SOPs were prepared collaboratively and were later submitted to the commissioner’s office on November 25. The proposed procedures included steps for safe storage, clean transportation, controlled temperature management and regular inspection of containers used for milk distribution.
In addition, detailed instructions were included regarding equipment cleaning, handling protocols and monitoring of adulteration risks. Officials mentioned that strict compliance with these SOPs would be required from all stakeholders to ensure that similar violations were not repeated. The commissioner’s office confirmed that these procedures would be enforced in coordination with the city administration and the relevant monitoring departments.
Seasonal Trends Indicate Prices Should Decrease
A representative from the Bureau of Supply and Prices also explained during the meeting that no increase in the milk price was justified under current market conditions. It was stated that seasonal patterns suggested that milk prices should decrease in the coming month because demand usually drops across the city during winter. Therefore, any claim made by sellers in favor of a price increase was considered unjustified.
Furthermore, the committee emphasized that higher milk prices could not be permitted when the provided product had already been proven unsafe and harmful. Thus, strict action was advised to ensure that overpriced sales did not continue in local markets.
New Milk Price Notification Issued
In response to the situation, a new notification was issued on November 27. It fixed the maximum retail price of fresh milk at Rs220 per litre, and all associations were instructed to follow the updated rate strictly. In addition, retailers were warned that violations of measurement rules or pricing limits would lead to fines and potential legal action by relevant authorities.
The notification also required milk sellers to comply fully with the newly drafted SOPs, which were designed to improve overall safety and product quality. By implementing these rules, authorities expect to reduce contamination incidents while ensuring that customers receive clean and safe dairy products in the coming months.
