By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday signed into law two pivotal bills aimed at transforming Pakistan’s health and trade sectors.
The National Institute of Health (Reorganisation) Amendment Bill 2025 seeks to overhaul the National Institute of Health (NIH) and establish a national cancer registry, while the Anti-Dumping Duties Amendment Bill 2025 clarifies regulations for imposing duties on Chinese-funded projects.
The NIH bill, passed by the National Assembly on August 12, 2025, addresses Pakistan’s escalating cancer crisis by mandating a centralised database to track cases and inform a national prevention and management strategy.
The legislation highlights the “dire need for establishing the national cancer registry to understand the actual burden of disease, and to implement a national action plan for cancer prevention, and management strategies to control the growing epidemic.”
Pakistan reported 178,388 cancer cases in 2020, according to the Global Cancer Observatory, with data primarily from the Punjab Cancer Registry covering Lahore and parts of central Punjab. Given the nation’s 220 million population, the bill warns that these figures likely “severely underestimate” the true cancer burden due to past failures in establishing a comprehensive registry, hampered by limited resources.
The law requires the NIH to maintain a central repository for cancer data, categorising cases by confirmed diagnoses, deaths, recoveries, hospitalisations, and demographics such as age, gender, and location. Patient privacy is safeguarded, with personal details protected from unauthorised disclosure without written consent. The bill also prioritises grassroots awareness, directing the NIH to partner with government and non-governmental organisations to promote cancer education at the village and union council levels.
The President Secretariat’s press wing described the measure as a milestone, stating, “Through this bill, the structure and governance of the National Institute of Health will be made more effective. The purpose of the amendment is to ensure the reorganisation of the institution and enhance its performance.”
In a parallel move, Zardari approved the Anti-Dumping Duties Amendment Bill 2025, which provides legal clarity for imposing anti-dumping duties on projects funded by Chinese grants. Passed by both the National Assembly and Senate, the law applies retroactively from July 1, 2020, following its approval, the President Secretariat’s media wing said.
The amendment emerged from a 2022 review of Gwadar projects, where officials identified the need for clearer trade protections. The bill aims to shield Pakistan’s domestic industries from unfair competition while maintaining economic ties with China, particularly under initiatives like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
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