Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: A legislative body of Upper House of Parliament on Tuesday took notice of sale of adulterated milk and dead animals’ meat in the federal capital and directed officials concerned to adopt prompt measures to get rid of this crime.

The directive was issued during the Senate’s Standing Committee on Interior’s meeting held in the Parliament House on Tuesday, with Senator Rehman Malik in the chair. The committee was told that a report had been published in the sections of the media on the issue and those involved in this crime should be taken to the task.

Islamabad Chief Commissioner Zulfiqar Haider told the meeting that special teams had been formed to launch a crackdown on the elements involved in sale of adulterated milk and sub-standard or dead animals’ meat in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).

It was shared that the Islamabad Capital Territory administration, as part of its steps to check sale of substandard milk and other food items in the capital, had sealed many premises and sent 241 challans to courts. “Special ICT teams during the raids also took 568 samples of different food items, examined 122 shops and 108,810 litres of milk of which 74,610 litres substandard milk was disposed of on the spot.”

A total of 32 complaints were submitted in the courts of law against owners of milk and dairy forms, whereas FIRs were lodged against six owners of milk suppliers who were arrested by the local police.

The chief commissioner sought the committee’s help in legislation so that they could make strict rules to check the crime.

The committee also condemned the suicide attack on Pakistan Army camp in Kabal area of Swat on Saturday wherein 11 security officials were martyred. The committee paid rich tribute to the martyrs of the nation and expressed heartfelt condolences with their families and observed that such cowardly attacks could not deter the resolve of the nation against terrorism.

The committee also took a very serious notice of illegal immigration being carried out by human traffickers and expressed sorrow over the Libya boat tragedy in which at least 3Pakistanis reportedly drowned off the coast of Libya on Friday. Prayers were offered for those who lost their lives in the sad incident, while Senator Rehman Malik directed the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis to brief the committee on the tragic incident in the next meeting.

He asked the Ministry of Interior to brief the committee on the action taken so far against human traffickers. He also called upon the government to amendment the Immigration Ordinance of 1979 immediately to ensure stringent punishment to human smugglers and directed the Ministry of Interior to initiate a severe crackdown on human traffickers countrywide.

“Human Trafficking was a condemnable crime in which not only precious lives are being lost but also bringing a bad name to the country worldwide,” he added.

Published in Daily Times, February 7^th 2018.