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Pakistan

Negotiating · Moderate coverage · Compiled 2026-07-05

25 screening rules

• Labeling: 10 rules — 8 blocking, 2 conditional, 0 advisory
• Additives: 4 rules — 3 blocking, 1 conditional, 0 advisory
• Contaminants & residue limits: 4 rules — 4 blocking, 0 conditional, 0 advisory
• Import & registration: 7 rules — 6 blocking, 1 conditional, 0 advisory

Market profile

Main food law

Punjab Pure Food Regs 2018 (provincial)

Labeling regulation

In PPFR 2018

Additives and residue limits

In PPFR 2018

National standards body

PSQCA (PS) — paywalled

Latest USDA FAIRS report

2025

Import and export

Documents to import

• Commercial invoice — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
• Packing list — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
• Bill of lading / airway bill / road manifest — Issued by: Carrier — Mandatory
• Customs declaration (import) — Issued by: Pakistan Customs (Goods Declaration) — Mandatory
• Importer / customs client registration — Issued by: FBR (NTN, sales tax registration) + chamber membership — Mandatory
• Certificate of origin (incl. preferential forms) — Issued by: Exporting-country chamber/customs — Conditional
• Sanitary / health certificate (producer & exporting country) — Issued by: Exporting-country authority — Mandatory
• Halal certificate — Issued by: Halal body recognised by Pakistan Halal Authority — Conditional
• Plant import permit & phytosanitary certificate — Issued by: Department of Plant Protection (DPP) / exporting NPPO — Conditional
• Animal quarantine import permit & veterinary certificate — Issued by: Animal Quarantine Department (MNFSR) — Conditional
• PSQCA import inspection / conformity — Issued by: Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority — Conditional
• Letter of credit / bank documents — Issued by: Authorised bank (SBP rules) — Mandatory
• Certificate of analysis / shelf-life compliance — Issued by: Lab / exporter — Conditional

Documents to export

• Commercial invoice — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
• Packing list — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
• Bill of lading / airway bill — Issued by: Carrier — Mandatory
• Customs export declaration — Issued by: Pakistan Customs (Goods Declaration) — Mandatory
• Certificate of origin (incl. preferential forms) — Issued by: Chambers / TDAP / EPB — Conditional
• Phytosanitary certificate — Issued by: Department of Plant Protection — Conditional
• Veterinary health certificate — Issued by: Animal Quarantine Department — Conditional

Government fees

• PSQCA import inspection / certification fee (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
• PSQCA laboratory testing fee (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
• DPP import permit / phytosanitary inspection fee (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
• Animal quarantine import permit / inspection fee (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
• PSW processing fee (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
• Value-added sales tax on commercial imports (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
• VAT/GST on imported food (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority

Customs single window: PSW / WeBOC

Customs duties are not included.

A fee without a confirmed amount is listed by name only.

Official sources

• Punjab Pure Food Regulations, 2018 (Punjab Food Authority, as amended) (2018) Open the source
• Punjab Pure Food Regulations, 2018 (Punjab Food Department mirror) (2018) Open the source
• Punjab Food Authority — Rules & Regulations index (PFA Act 2011, licensing rules) (2026) Open the source
• USDA FAIRS Country Report Annual — Pakistan (PK2025-0019) (2025) Open the source
• USDA FAIRS Export Certificate Report — Pakistan (PK2023-0019) (2023) Open the source
• USDA GAIN Exporter Guide — Pakistan (PK2024-0008) (2024) Open the source

Reference documents

• USDA FAIRS Country Report Annual — Pakistan (2025) Open the source
• USDA GAIN Exporter Guide — Pakistan (2024) Open the source
• USDA FAIRS Export Certificate Report — Pakistan (2023) Open the source
• Punjab Pure Food Regulations 2018 (PFA) (2018) Open the source
• Punjab Pure Food Regulations 2018 (mirror) (2018) Open the source
• PSQCA Pakistan Standards (PS numbers)
• Punjab Food Authority — Rules & Regulations index (current) Open the source

Guidance compiled from published sources — not legal clearance. Confirm the requirements with the destination regulator or a licensed advisor before shipping.

Screening guidance based on published standards — not legal clearance. Requirements marked "needs verification" are directional hints; confirm with the destination regulator or a licensed advisor before shipping.