PFA continues crackdown against food adulterators

As many as 31,340 spurious carbonated drinks were seized from a factory on Band Road

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar issued directions to the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) to continue its crackdown against adulterators across Punjab on Friday. The food watchdog unearthed a fake cola drink manufacturing factory in Band Road and foiled an attempt to supply thousands of litres of spurious beverages in the market by taking action against adulterators.

The raid was led by PFA Director General Captain (retd) Muhammad Usman. The director said that PFA recovered as many as 31,340 spurious carbonated drinks, 50,000 fake labels of different brands and empty bottles. Further, three gas cylinders, two filling machines, a huge quantity of chemicals and raw materials were also seized during the raid.

The PFA director said that the food authority also registered a case against the owner of the factory on adulteration and forgery charges. He added that fake soft drinks were being supplied to shopkeepers in the metropolis and its surrounding areas before Eidul Fitr.

The director explained that PFA is taking action against fake beverage making factories following an action plan. He said that PFA has discarded approximately one million fake bottles during the current month. He further said that PFA will make Punjab’s land narrow for adulteration mafia adding that authority could not be compromised on the quality of food. “The Punjab Food Authority will not spare anyone who breaches the law.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2019.