Retailers and consumer-goods companies in Islamabad have raised concerns about reported instructions restricting the sale of products packaged in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, according to a Business Recorder report published on October 14.
The newspaper reported that verbal directions had been attributed to the office of the chief commissioner and chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA). It said businesses were uncertain about the scope of the restrictions and that some outlets had reportedly faced enforcement action. Pakistan Report has not independently obtained a written CDA notification establishing a citywide prohibition or its precise legal basis.
The Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) has urged authorities to withdraw the proposed restriction, according to the report. Its objections include the potential effect on retailers, consumer-goods producers and existing recycling operations. The CoRe Alliance also called for clearer implementation of the Islamabad Capital Territory’s 2023 single-use plastics regulations.
The controversy raises two separate policy questions: whether local authorities have formally prohibited the sale of all PET-packaged goods, and how restrictions on plastic waste should distinguish between different materials and recycling systems. A claim that PET is recyclable does not, by itself, establish that collection and recycling are effective in every location.
Until a formal order and response from the CDA are verified, the reported instructions and business objections should not be described as a conclusively established blanket ban. Businesses and consumers should consult official notices for enforceable requirements.
Source: Business Recorder, October 14. The report describes industry correspondence and reported enforcement; no independently verified written CDA ban was available for this draft.