Daily Times

LAHORE: Punjab Food Authority (PFA) Director Operations Ayesha Mumtaz said on Sunday that adulteration of food is a crime not less than murder.

Selling or serving adulterated and unhygienic food is tantamount to “food terrorism”, therefore there is no question of victimisation in the campaign against adulterators, as it has been launched by the PFA with the aim of creating public awareness about the menace, Ayesha said, adding that the authority is working to protect the rights of consumers and to ensure that they were served hygienic and healthy food. Referring to her raids at food outlets in the provincial capital during Ramazan, she said that the purpose was to expose the quality of food of big brands, as people visiting big hotels, restaurants and eateries do not worry about the food quality.

It is necessary to know whether the claims of renowned hotels and restaurants of serving good quality food to their customers are true or not, she noted. The PFA director, who has won praise for her unflinching resolve to root out the menace of adulterated and unhygienic food, and corrupt practices in the food industry, said the road-side food vendors were being given guidelines for serving safe food to their consumers. Denying allegations of self-projection, Ayesha Mumtaz said that her drive was not against the hotel or restaurant industry only but the entire food industry.

Ayesha said some 3,000 outlets have been issued notices to improve hygiene at their premises. Only 250 food concerns were sealed out of 6,000 that were raided. She said that a PFA team recently raided an oil factory where oil was being extracted from dead animals. She said that a mafia with vested interests was trying to belittle PFA’s achievements. To a query, she said that the PFA had also started a campaign against adulterated meat and milk and some 52,000 litres of adulterated milk had been discarded during the last few days. “I, as a team leader, will continue to perform my duties without any fear or favour, as per the mandate given to me by the chief executive of the province, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif,” the PFA officer said.

To another question, she said that PFA would extend its activities to other districts of Punjab, where district coordination officers had been performing the task under the Punjab Pure Food Authority Ordinance 1960. Ayesha Mumtaz said that amendments were being envisaged by the provincial government in the Punjab Food Authority Act 2011 to make the laws against adulteration more stringent.