PFA spreads its wings to Rawalpindi

Says special teams will be formed to inspect food quality

RAWALPINDI: Punjab Minister for Food Bilal Yasin said on Tuesday that special teams had been formed to raid eateries selling food that is unfit for human consumption. He said strict action would be taken against those preparing or selling unhygienic edible items in the city.

The minister expressed these views while talking to the media at the inauguration of the Punjab Food Authority’s district office at Chandni Chowk. He was flanked by PFA Director General Noorul Amin Mengal and Operations Director Rafia Haider.



No senior district government or health department officials attended the inauguration ceremony, which raised some eyebrows.

The minister said the PFA office was set up to launch the operation in Rawalpindi district with the aim of ensuring safe and healthy food for the locals. He added that intelligence agencies would also be used to identify hotels and restaurants selling unhygienic food items.

The minister further stated that the authority was established under the Punjab Food Authority Act 2011. He said the body was already covering all of Lahore division and had wings in Faisalabad and Gujranwala.



A separate office would be set up soon for Murree, while a wing would be established in Multan, he said. Yasin continued that the PFA’s raiding teams had mobile labs at their disposal to check the quality of food items.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 23^rd, 2016.