Food outlets fined Rs7.2m during two years

Overall standard of food items being sold at food outlets satisfactory, says minister

ISLAMABAD: The incumbent government since coming into power has launched a drive against food outlets and bakeries involved in the sale of substandard food items and imposed a fine of over Rs7.2 million on some of them, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said on Monday.

While answering the query of a member at a session of the National Assembly, he also claimed that the overall standard of food items being sold at bakeries, food stores and hotels in the capital territory was satisfactory.



A total of 789 samples of food items were drawn from bakeries, hotels and food stores during the last two years. Out of which 710 have been declared of standard quality by the National Institute of Health, whereas only 79 samples were declared substandard.

Laboratory report of seven samples is still awaited.

The minister said that a total of 5,869 restaurants, bakeries and food outlets were inspected and 2,983 utensils were either confiscated or destroyed in the tenure of the present regime while 402 restaurants and bakeries were issued challans under the Pure Food Ordinance 1960 and submitted in the court.

Moreover, he said, 86 premises were sealed and the 4,325kg meat was confiscated, and a fine of Rs7,269,600 was imposed on the outlets.

Police performance

Meanwhile, during a high-level meeting with the interior minister in the chair on Monday, the IG police briefed Khan about the various new initiatives being taken by the capital police.

The inspector general said that the IT-based new initiatives would enable police and citizens to maintain effective liaison, and citizens would be able to provide their feedback about the performance of the force.

He also informed the meeting that in line with the directions of the minister the new recruits of police would be trained by army personnel, while refresher courses of police officials by lawyers were also being arranged.

The minister directed the IG police to carry out a performance audit of various police stations so that those officials who were putting in extra effort could be identified and their hard work could be duly acknowledged and appreciated.

Safe city project

Progress on safe city project also came under discussion.



The minister was informed that the safe city project, presently in its test phase, was rendering a lot of help to the police in curbing crime in the federal capital and had been instrumental in tracing out various criminal cases.

The deputy commissioner briefed the minister about the progress in campaigns against ‘tout’ mafia outside government offices and elements involved in adulteration and sale of substandard food.

The official also informed the minister about the progress in the audit of private security agencies and the notices issued to them advising them to provide their particular and other details to the administration.

Khan directed the ICT administration to continue its efforts against adulteration indiscriminately and to ensure its sustainability.

He also directed that the media should be continuously kept on board so as to raise maximum awareness among the public.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2016.