Meat shops face crackdown over hygiene

RAWALPINDI:

The Chaklala Cantonment Board (CCB) has strictly advised the owners of 32 meat and mutton shops in the city to comply with the food safety laws.

Officials inspected the outlets to ensure the sale of quality, healthy and imported meat from the slaughterhouse.

Following the direction of the CCB's Executive Officer, Aamir Rasheed, a team headed by Food Inspector Sohail Akram inspected meat shops, where meat is sold after being slaughtered regularly at the slaughterhouse of Chaklala Cantonment.

The team asked all meat sellers to complete their medical tests and warned that fines would be imposed on shopkeepers, who failed to acquire trade licenses and medical certificates after seven days.

Cantonment Executive Officer Aamir Rasheed says the Chaklala Food Section is fully operational to provide meat to the cantonment residents as per hygiene norms. Full attention is being paid to ensure the production and sale of food items in accordance with the rules of hygiene, he adds.

Rasheed says the cleanliness of shops, the health of workers and the possession of medical certificates and trade licenses are mandatory. Food Inspector Sohail Akram says dozens of vendors have been issued warnings to ensure medical certificates, trade licenses, cleanliness and staff health.