Tightening the noose: ‘Govt ensuring food quality for citizens’

LAHORE:

Food Minister Bilal Yasin said on Thursday those playing with citizens’ lives shall be liable to imprisonment for a term that may extend to five years and a fine of up to Rs2 million under the recently promulgated Punjab Food Authority (Amendment) Ordinance 2015. 

The minister made the remarks while speaking to newsmen at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat. Yasin said the government had taken the initiative to further strengthen food laws. “Under the new law, food related offences will be cognisable and non-bailable. The government has raised penalties to rid the society of this menace,” he said.

Yasin said the government was committed to ensuring the provision of safe and healthy food to citizens.

Commenting on suspicion of sale of pork in the province, he said the PFA had received information that non-kosher meat was being supplied in the city.

Yasin said the authority had remained vigilant and had effectively discharged its duty. He said the PFA had conducted a raid on the parcel section of the City railway station on Wednesday after being tipped off and had seized meat of suspect quality.

PFA Operations Director Ayesha Mumtaz said the authority would not allow anyone to play with citizens’ lives.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 4^th, 2015.