CJP asks milk companies to stop deceiving people

Issues notices to seven tea-whitener and milk manufacturing companies

LAHORE: Expressing concern over sale of substandard milk, the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar has directed the milk producing companies to stop deceiving the public and mention the actual ingredients on their products.

The Supreme Court’s two-member bench on Thursday commenced proceedings at the Supreme Court Lahore Registry on a petition filed by Barrister Zafarullah Khan against sale of substandard milk.

The CJP disclosed that he himself was unaware of the difference between a ‘tea-whitener’ and milk, adding, however, that a hakeem had once advised him not to use powdered milk.  He said the court did not want to damage businesses but would not allow them to deceive the nation.

Punjab Food Authority (PFA) Director General Noorul Amin Mengal told the bench that milk-safety teams had been formed to examine samples of loose and packed milk on a regular basis.



“The government has banned steroid injections used to boost milk production in cows and buffalos and also cancelled licences of several manufacturers,” he said, adding that the manufacturing companies had obtained stay orders from the courts.

The CJP said complaints of hormone imbalance were common amongst young girls in particular. “It is a very alarming situation that use of steroid in milk and chicken production is causing direct effects on human body,” he noted.

Later, the bench issued notices to seven tea-whitener and milk manufacturing companies including Shakarganj foods, Haleeb and Dalda foods. It also issued notices to two steroid manufacturing companies – ICI Pharmaceutical and Ghazi Brothers.

The CJP directed the manufacturing companies of powder and pasteurised milk to write on their products in bold-letters that it is not milk. He also ordered the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to keep an eye on advertisements of these companies to ensure they tell the truth.

The CJP also expressed concern over sale of substandard and used cooking oil in the market. Reiterating his determination to protect rights of the citizens, he observed, “We would not allow our children to take this poison.”

Potable water case

As the CJP commenced hearing of a suo motu case against contaminated and substandard bottled water, he observed that the government should have allotted one coach in the Orange Line Metro Train in Lahore for saving money to dispose of hospitals’ waste.

He said the state was not fulfilling its responsibility and both water and air are polluted. The Punjab government should change its priority, he added.



The PFA director general submitted a report that said some sample analysis had been conducted in the province of 412 bottled water companies and 145 companies had been sealed for selling substandard bottled water.

Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) Managing Director Dr Javed Iqbal told the court that there were 575 tube wells in Lahore city for the supply of water. The CJP ordered him to present an analysis report after taking water samples from all the tube wells.

The CJP directed the chief secretary to submit a detailed report about budget of Punjab Saaf Pani Company. He observed that the court would not hold responsible the political leadership wholly for the wrongs of the bureaucracy.

He lamented that people are suffering from Hepatitis after consuming contaminated water and costly treatment of this disease is another major problem for the poor. The bench adjourned the hearing till Dec 30.