Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), on Saturday, advised people to avoid eating at restaurants in the wake of the unfortunate case of food poisoning in Karachi that claimed the lives of five siblings and their aunt. The medical body called upon the government to bring about an effective mechanism to ensure that food being sold across Karachi is safe for human consumption. Until concrete measures are taken in this regard, people were asked to avoid eating poison that is being sold outside to prevent falling prey to fatal germs. Medical body asks govt to prioritise food safety The PMA blamed the absence of any effective monitoring and quality control system for food sold citywide for the untoward incidents. It further asked the food authority to register every small and big food selling point according to the law and regularly check the cleanliness and hygiene at commercial food outlets in a press release. The government body was also asked to make sure that food being sold at these places was safe for consumption. PMA also asked the government to arrest the culprits behind the criminal negligence that had claimed the lives of five minors. A suspected case of food poisoning had killed five siblings and their paternal aunt in Karachi on Friday. They breathed their last soon after allegedly eating from a restaurant in Karachi’s Saddar area. Published in Daily Times, February 24th 2019.