Islamabad: Chronic obesity a disease is silently killing and crippling thousands of relatively young Pakistanis every year, with new evidence showing that more than 100 million adults — over three out of every four citizens — are now overweight or obese, national and international health experts warned at a high-level moot in Islamabad.
They said the disease is fueling an alarming rise in diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, cancers, infertility and obstructive sleep apnea, and stressed that without urgent interventions, Pakistan faces an unprecedented public health disaster.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Waseem Hanif, Professor of Diabetes and Endocrinology at the University of Birmingham, described obesity as “a normal response to an abnormal environment.” He said nearly 2.5 billion people over 18 worldwide are overweight, and one billion are obese, adding that South Asians face even higher risks at lower body weights.
“The ideal BMI is 18–25, but for South Asians it should be around 23. Obesity is a chronic disease that kills at a young age, cripples through sleep apnea, and destroys quality of life. In Pakistan, over 100 million people are obese. A revolutionary new treatment like tirzepatide is a fresh breeze — capable of reducing weight by up to 25 percent — but it must go hand in hand with balanced diet and regular exercise. Obesity is a disease, and its main symptom is hunger,” he emphasized.
The moot was organized to mark the launch of Pakistan’s first generic tirzepatide by Getz Pharma. The drug has emerged as one of the most promising breakthroughs in obesity and diabetes care worldwide, showing remarkable results in clinical trials and real-world use.
Prof. Saleem Qureshi, Head of Medicine at KRL Hospital Islamabad, said the availability of the drug locally was a major relief for patients. “Until now, patients had to spend hundreds of thousands of rupees on smuggled, unregistered products. With tirzepatide available in Pakistan, diabetes remission is now a reality. But the bigger concern is that if current trends continue, over 57 percent of Pakistani children will be obese by the time they reach 35 years of age. Obesity must be treated as a chronic disease with medication and lifestyle modification, because most Pakistanis seek medical care far too late,” he warned.
Echoing these concerns, Prof. Jamal Zafar noted that tirzepatide has already proved highly effective, but said medication alone is not enough. “Doctors must guide patients towards exercise, physical activity and a balanced diet. Exercise does not increase appetite — it reduces it. Lifestyle change is essential alongside treatment.”
Dr. Khurram Hussain, Managing Director of Getz Pharma, said the company was committed to providing affordable, evidence-based solutions for obesity and related complications. “With GLP-1 and GIP therapy, we aim to support effective weight reduction and reduce risks of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. For over 17 years, the company has led in making life-saving biologics accessible in Pakistan, from insulin to interferons, and we remain dedicated to advancing innovative, affordable treatments for weight management.”
Sharing data from the PAK-SEHAT study, Dr. Khurram Nasir, Co-Primary Investigator and Chief of Cardiovascular Disease Prevention & Wellness at Houston Methodist, warned that the findings are alarming. “Only one in five adults in Pakistan is within a normal BMI range. Nearly three out of four are obese, making obesity the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease and hypertension. These results were presented recently at the American Society for Preventive Cardiology in Boston,” he said.
The event was attended by a large number of endocrinologists, medical specialists, pulmonologists, general practitioners and gastroenterologists who welcomed the availability of a new anti-diabetic and anti-obesity therapy in Pakistan. Ends
