Punjab

Presumed innocent: PFA stopped from advertising raids on Facebook

Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh passed the order on a petition filed by Restaurants’ Association

APP October 01, 2015

PHOTO: PUNJAB FOOD AUTHORITY FACEBOOK

LAHORE:

Lahore High Court stopped the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on Thursday from advertising its raids on Facebook and issued notices to the Punjab government and the PFA to respond by October 20 to a petition against the practice.

Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh passed the order on a petition filed by Restaurants’ Association.

The petitioner’s counsel told the court that the PFA was conducting raids on restaurants and bakeries to check hygiene standards. He said the authority publicised these raids on social media.

He said the PFA should not publicise the apparent violations discovered during the raids. “The identity of the violators should not be revealed till they are found guilty by a court,” he said.

The judge restrained PFA from advertising its activities on Facebook and asked a law officer of the Punjab government and the PFA to submit a reply to the petition by October 20.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 2^nd, 2015.

COMMENTS (7)

Hassan | 9 years ago | Reply What's wrong if PFA exposing the resturants & eateries who are charging higher and unhygienic food to its customers. As everyone is aware about our system which always helpful to those corrupt people it will take years to determine what they were serving to citizens was hygienic or unhygienic. The only problem in Pakistan is that when a person or a department crackdown at any department or people they started shouting as only they are the angels and all others are corrupt taking advantage of stay-orders. Secondly when resturants are preparing hygienic food than why they are afraid of PFA. Its the first time in the history that a department is indiscriminately taking action against those who are playing with the health of our citizens. In my opinion the names of resturants found guilty of this crime should be publicised rather hiding them from general public. This would create awareness among masses about what they are eating and at what cost.

khan | 9 years ago | Reply The law might need to be amended. Guilt is established when PFA surveys a restaurant, finds the law being broken and documents the evidence. The court case is the next step where burden of proof lies on the restaurant in order to be exonerated.

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Debilitator | 9 years ago | Reply Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh reinstated Aitchison college principal who is a confirmed thug and a criminal and now he's passed this verdict. dont know what this man is up to.

...and justice for all | 9 years ago | Reply The just thing would be not to reveal the identity of the person accused of the crime. A person should be innocent until proven guilty. However, in this case I think being just will bring more ill. Our justice system needs to evolve to cater to demands of swift justice. Quite unfortunate to see this judgement.

Hasan | 9 years ago | Reply "what are we coming to?" Pakistanis have no idea how a normal society works. In any civilised society you are premused innocent until proven guilty by a court of law. The court's ruling is 100% fair. Sad to see a people who have lived under tyranny and corruption for so long they have a distorted idea of real rights and freedoms. PFA had no authority sharing that nonsense on FB until they could prove their claims pending the outcome of a formal investigation. Classic Pakistani mentality of handling things. Overzealous inspectors breaking the very laws they are so passionate about upholding one on side and totally corrupt officials on the other end. No middle path. If someone has lived in a developed country for some time they would know what I am talking about.

RM | 9 years ago | Reply So hiding the badness has superseded spreading the goodness. What are we coming to ?

observer | 9 years ago | Reply “The identity of the violators should not be revealed till they are found guilty by a court,” Yes, and that will take decades, if at all.

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