MULTAN: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) launched a province-wide operation against unhygienic and substandard food items, conducting inspections in Multan, Vehari, and Khanewal.
In South Punjab, PFA teams inspected dairy shops, sweet and bakery production units, departmental stores, and other outlets to check hygiene and food safety standards. As a result, six food units were sealed for serious violations.
The authority confiscated 115 litres of adulterated milk, 60kg of expired food, 14kg of monosodium glutamate (MSG), 15 litres of expired soft drinks, and 10 litres of rancid oil.
In Multan’s areas including Hussain Agahi, Muhammadi Wala, Lutfabad, and Bosan Road, four milk shops were fined a total of Rs65,000 for selling low-quality milk.
In Mati Tal, a spice grinding unit was fined Rs40,000 for selling poor-quality dried onions and maintaining unhygienic machinery. A hotel near Bahadurpur Chowk was sealed for using loose and unlabelled spices.
In Khanewal, a warehouse in Jahanian was shut down for having a washroom inside the storage area. Two sweets production units in Khan Town and Adda Peerowal were also sealed due to poor cleanliness and insect infestation.
Earlier, in Lahore, PFA carried out a large operation in Tollinton Market against the sale of meat from sick or dead chickens. The authority discarded 5,850kg of unhygienic chicken meat and fined five food business operators.
The operation was supervised by PFA Director General Muhammad Asim Javaid along with LDA DG Tahir Farooq. The raids were conducted on 21 poultry shops and godowns by a meat safety task force comprising veterinary experts and food safety officers. Several vehicles transporting chickens were also inspected.
— ALSO READ —
Over 112,000 students to get laptops as Punjab expands digital learning
PFA DG said that 146.25 maunds (around 5,850kg) of chicken meat was discarded as it was found to be from diseased birds. He added that the meat was infected with illnesses affecting the eyes, lungs, and even causing paralysis. Such meat poses serious health risks to the public, he warned.
The PFA teams are continuing their crackdown daily in Tollinton Market and other areas of Lahore, focusing on eliminating unhygienic meat from the market. DG Asim Javaid said that inspections are being carried out in all districts of Punjab.
He also stressed that the sale of underweight, sick, or dead chickens will not be tolerated. The PFA aims to establish a meat supply system that meets international safety standards. He urged citizens to buy fresh meat and prefer live chicken slaughtered in front of them.
The public is encouraged to report any suspicious food activity to the Punjab Food Authority helpline.
