In June 2026, after relentless advocacy across the country, Pakistan finally scrapped the 18% GST on menstrual products. It was a hard-won victory for menstrual equity. But making pads more affordable means nothing if the products sold on our shelves are unsafe to use. Affordable does not mean safe. And that is why we think it is time to ask: What is in my pad?

Right now, millions of women, girls, and menstruating individuals across Pakistan purchase sanitary pads wrapped brown paper bags. Behind this cultural silence, manufacturers are selling period products without disclosing the ingredients that go into these pads. In Pakistan, period products are categorized as basic consumer goods rather than essential health items. Because of this loophole, brands face zero legal obligations to test the products you use every month during your period for toxins or list what goes into them. Pakistan has no law requiring period product manufacturers to disclose what's inside their products. The last time period product standards (PS 1449-1979) were revised in Pakistan was in 1979 but even they are not accessible for the general public. Studies have found a high concentration of endocrine disrupting hormones and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in period products. Disposable pads are often lined with plastic to stay leak-free which leads to the release of microplastics into the body. Period products have also been found to contain heavy metals and pesticides. This is extremely concerning because chemicals that are absorbed through the vagina skip the body's normal filtering process and enter the bloodstream directly rather than passing through the liver first (unlike food or water). In Pakistan period products are classified as general consumer goods rather than regulated health items so manufacturers face no legal requirement to test them for toxins and disclose ingredients. 

Our Demands
We call on the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) and Provincial Consumer Protection Councils to take immediate action:   

1. Revise PS 1449-1979: Overhaul the 1979 standard to establish modern, legally binding safety benchmarks for all menstrual health products manufactured or imported into Pakistan.   
2. Mandate Full Ingredient Disclosure: Require manufacturers to print a clear, standardized ingredient list directly on product packaging.   
3. Mandatory Testing for Contaminants: Require pad brands to routinely test and disclose the presence and levels of heavy metals, phthalates, VOCs, and known toxins.   

Menstrual taboos allow corporations to cut corners with cheap, toxic raw materials while protecting their profit margins. When you sign and share this petition, you send a direct message to regulators and corporations: safe menstruation is our right, and we will no longer accept secrecy.

#WhatIsInMyPad
#MehfoozMahwariHumSabKaHaq