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LAHORE, Dec 27 (APP): The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on Saturday discarded over 280 kilograms of dead chickens and more than two maunds of substandard meat during an early-morning crackdown at Tollinton Market and Bakra Mandi to prevent the supply of
unsafe meat to Lahore’s markets.
Acting on the orders of PFA Director General Asim Javed, food safety teams set up checkpoints at Tollinton Market and conducted an operation at Bakra Mandi. During the operation, a meat shop was sealed after recovery of substandard meat, one case was registered, and two freezers were confiscated.
During inspections, 12 meat warehouses, suppliers and shops were checked, while around 37,000 kilograms of chickens were examined. Two businesses were imposed heavy fines, and 10 corrective notices were issued for violations of food safety laws.
The DG said action was taken after diseased chickens were recovered during checking, adding that mandatory records and essential documents were missing at several premises. Veterinary specialists present on site declared the recovered chickens unfit for human consumption after detailed examination.
PFA DG Asim Javed said poor hygiene arrangements, broken freezers and absence of issuance and expiry dates were found at the sealed meat shop. He added that employees’ medical certificates were not available and the food business was operating without a valid licence. He said beef and meat of diseased chickens were being prepared for supply when the meat safety teams took timely action and thwarted their distribution. Calling the adulteration mafia a serious threat to public health, he said profiteers sell disease instead of food.
The DG urged citizens to remain vigilant while purchasing food items and said that, on the directives of Chief Minister Punjab, PFA teams were continuing strict monitoring to ensure safe and quality food. He warned that no leniency would be shown to health-threatening elements and asked the public to report violations on the PFA helpline 1223.