SC orders inspection of packaged milk producing companies in Sindh

KARACHI: The Supreme Court (SC) had ordered on Saturday quality testing of different brands of packaged milk by the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR).

A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, passed this order while hearing a human rights application relating to deficiencies in the production, processing and packaging of packed milk in the province. Also comprising justices Faisal Arab and Sajjad Ali Shah, the bench was hearing the matter at the SC's Karachi Registry.

At the outset of the hearing on Sunday, the Sindh High Court's (SHC) nazir submitted a report, stating that raids were being conducted to confiscate banned hormonal injections used on livestock to artificially increase milk production.

The bench also ordered authorities concerned to start immediate inspections of all the companies manufacturing packaged milk. It sought the inspection report from them.

The report said 39 such injections were confiscated from Shaheen Medical Store.



The bench directed the nazir to continue raids to curb the sale of the injections, which were hazardous to the health of animals as well as human beings.

The judges also directed the provincial health secretary to direct the drug inspectors to conduct raids at the shop selling the harmful injections in wholesale and retail and take action strictly in accordance to the law.

They also ordered the Federal Investigation Agency authorities to accompany the SHC nazir during raids and take action against the defaulters.



Justice Nisar ordered the company to clearly mention on the packet of its product that it was not milk. The company was granted time of 10 weeks to publicise its product after making the change.

The CJP directed a lawyer, who was appointed as commissioner to collect the samples of different brands of packaged milk being sold in the market, to send the same to the PCSIR for quality testing.

Justice Nisar said he would pay for the samples' testing fee from his own salary and asked the commissioner to get the money from his secretary.