‘PFA working to modernise food safety laws, standards’

Food watchdog DG reviews performance reports of past two months

LAHORE: In its efforts to meet the target of modernising food safety laws and standards, the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) sealed 747 food businesses and issued improvement notices to 25,000 eateries on various food safety and hygiene violations during October.

Data released by the provincial food watchdog revealed that the authority had conducted some 43,689 general inspection visits to food business across Punjab and imposed fines on thousands of eateries over violations of food regulations.

Data indicated that the PFA had raided 12,868 food points and closed down 232 shops in the central zone, Lahore; 17,085 raids in the north zone, Rawalpindi and shut down 217 food businesses. Similarly, in the south zone, Multan, food safety teams visited 6,020 food outlets for inspecting food quality and safety compliance of which 94 food businesses over their failure to maintain food safety standards. The PFA officials also checked 4,264 food outlets in Muzaffargarh out of which 111 businesses were sealed.

Earlier, in September, the PFA teams conducted 41,132 raids, sealed 742 eateries, issued fine tickets to 2,415 food business operators in September. The PFA had registered 31 FIRs in September and 52 cases registered in October in the respective area police station.

PFA Director General Captain (retd) Muhammad Usman said the indiscriminate action was taken against hotels, restaurants, production units, canteens, sweets and bakers and other food points. He said citizens can register their complaints and suggestions on PFA’s websites, complaint cell and its Facebook page, while complaint will immediately be addressed. He said the PFA was utilising all available resource in order to improve hygiene issues and situation in Punjab.

Presiding over a departmental meeting on Saturday, Usman appreciated the performance of the enforcement teams for a crackdown against adulteration.

He said the authority was effectively achieving targets set for the year 2018 so as to meet the dream of modernising food safety laws and standards. PFA Additional Director General (Operations) Rafia Haider presented the performance report of last two months.