PFA discards 2,000kg unhygienic meat, 250kg substandard preserved fruits, 176kg banaspati ghee and 315 litres adulterated milk, seals 11 food businesses including illegal slaughterhouse across province


The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on Monday closed down an illegal slaughterhouse and seized 2,000kg ready meat along with emaciated animals during a raid conducted on a tipoff of its vigilance cell in the area of Bakar Mandi.

PFA Director General Irfan Memon along with meat safety team raided Noor Da Dera and sealed it for preparing hazardous meat from emaciated and sick animals. He said that authority confiscated six sick animals and recovered fake stamps which were used to show the meat was verified by the concerned authority. He said that butchers can sell only approved veterinary stamp slaughtered animal products or meat in the market.

The substandard and inferior quality meat was being supplied to the local meat shops in the suburb areas of Lahore for minting money after slaughtering emaciated animals which were purchased from different markets at a fairly price. He said that the use of unhygienic meat is injurious to health.

He added that the provincial food regulatory body is doing work vigilantly to unearth the illegal slaughterhouses in every nook and corner of the province. Meanwhile, PFA is continuously checking of slaughterhouses and meat shops to ensure the provision of healthy and safe meat. DG PFA has requested the general public to point out illegal slaughterhouses to be busted the gangs who are working hidden in residential areas. He has appealed citizens to purchase healthy meat after slaughtering a chicken in front of their eyes.

Similarly, PFA watchdog teams of other districts have sealed 10 food points and slapped fine of Rs513,000 on more than 95 eateries besides serving warning notices for improvement to 1000 food business operators during conducted routine inspection operation across the Punjab.

In South Region, PFA Bahawalpur team raided Hafiz Super Store and sealed it for selling expired food items, poor cleanliness arrangements and non-compliance of instructions. PFA also shut down United Bakers and Ideal Bakers in Raheem Yar Khan owing to use rotten eggs in the manufacturing of bakery items and for failing to produce food license and medical certificates. Apart from that, PFA has raided Iqbal Frozen and sealed it over poor storage system and usage of non-food graded drums to store food.

Further, PFA has shut down Kala Da Hotel and Sweets in Gujranwala due to using expired colours, the presence of washroom in the production area and poor cleanliness arrangements. In another raid, meat safety team sealed Billa Poultry over violation of emergency prohibition order and started work without completing the legal procedure. New Imran Sweets was closed down by PFA for not taking measures to control pests and unhygienic conditions.

In Faisalabad division, the authority has close down Muhammad Ali Jinnah Educational School’s canteen for selling carbonated drinks, using non-traceable red chilli powder and the presence of cobwebs. The raiding team has discarded carbonated drinks, 176kg banaspati ghee, 20kg sugar and 10kg chilli. PFA Ghulam Muhammad Abad team closed down Ajwa Shawarma & Burger for doing business without medical certificates and stinky environment. Meanwhile, PFA has confiscated 850kgflour and mixer machines. A team of PFA raided Al-Noor Karyana Store and sealed it in Khushab for selling expired cold drinks, tea whiteners and spices. The team also witnessed poor cleanliness arrangements.

Furthermore, PFA officials have imposed Rs 69,500 fine in South region, Rs85,500 fine on 18 eateries in Rawalpindi division, Rs41,500 fine on 12 shopkeepers in Faisalabad division, Rs74,000 fine on 15 FBOs in Sargodha division and Rs242,500 fine on 43 food joints in Gujranwala division. 


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