Indiscriminate action: Seven Dera Ghazi Khan eateries fined, sealed

1,200kg of meat unfit for human consumption seized

MULTAN: Punjab Food Authority’s (PFA’s) Divisional Taskforce Committee Chairman Mahmood Qadir Leghari said on Tuesday that district authorities had seized 1,200 kilogrammes of meat unfit for human consumption in Dera Ghazi Khan last week.

Leghari made the remarks at a meeting convened to review progress on a crackdown on the provision of adulterated eatables.

He said seven of the district’s most famous eateries had been sealed and fined Rs0.3million following the confiscation of the meat. Leghari said the penalties for vending adulterated eatables had been raised after the relevant ordinance was amended by the government. He said those involved in the trade would be dealt with an iron hand.

He said it was mandatory for those employed at eateries to undergo a medical examination. Leghari said cooks and bakers had been instructed to wear gloves while at work. He said all those involved in compromising citizens’ lives would be unveiled soon. Leghari said strict action would also be taken against those selling substandard potable water. He said vendors involved in erroneously labelling products would be penalised.



Leghari directed officials to broaden the scope of the crackdown to include rural areas.  He directed officials to register FIRs against and nab those involved in the trade instead of fining them.

Leghari praised the performance of the health and livestock departments. He directed Sahiwal, Okara and Pakpattan officials to expedite the crackdown in their jurisdictions.

Acting Commissioner Nadeemur Rehman said instruments needed to ascertain food quality had been handed over to 10 inspection teams. He said the teams had been taking indiscriminate action against hotels, bakeries and industrial units in the division.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd, 2015.