Pakistan to launch crackdown on 'cheap' fairness cream

Pakistan will take action against companies selling "cheap" fairness cream which are "damaging people's skin", a senior minister has said.

Over 50 brands were using dangerous levels of mercury in their fairness cream, state minister for climate change Zartaj Gul Wazir was quoted as saying by Geo News.

She told reporters on Friday that her ministry was testing and analysing the ingredients used by companies that manufacture and sell fairness cream as Pakistan is a member of the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

"Companies selling cheap fairness cream were contributing to damage people's skin," she said.

Only three of the 59 local and international brands of fairness cream were in accordance with the international standards, Wazir said, adding that the remaining brands were using dangerous levels of mercury in their fairness cream.

Adequate action would be taken against such companies by December 31, she added.