Latest news with #PunjabFoodAuthority
Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Business Recorder
PFA launches crackdown ahead of Eid
LAHORE: An enforcement team of the Punjab Food Authority on Friday carried out a grand operation against the adulteration mafia in the Karol Ghati area and seized a large quantity of counterfeit cold drinks. The food safety teams discarded 180 litres of fake cold drinks and confiscated prohibited substances being used to manufacture spurious beverages. An FIR has been lodged against the unit. Director General Asim Javaid said that the food safety team recovered 3,900 ready-to-sell fake cold drink bottles, 250kg sweetener, 4,000 empty bottles, 60kg bottle caps, 200kg labels, chemicals, filling machines, gas cylinders, and drums. In a separate action, the teams inspected 14 food points near Multan Road, Daewoo and Jinnah Terminals. Three food outlets were fined a total of Rs245,000 for violations of food safety regulations. The DG said that banned and hazardous chemicals were being used to replicate well-known cold drink brands. All stock prepared for Eid supply was destroyed. He added that the violators failed to produce valid medical and training certificates for workers, while the premises were found unhygienic and insect-infested. He warned that consumption of fake beverages could cause severe stomach, liver, and kidney issues. He said the PFA has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against hazardous and substandard food products. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Express Tribune
Counterfeit cold drinks seized
Punjab Food Authority (PFA) launched a crackdown on adulterates to ensure the safety of food and beverages during Eid. Under the supervision of Director General Asim Javaid, the operation led to the seizure and destruction of a massive quantity of counterfeit cold drinks and banned food substances, as well as the registration of a criminal case against those involved. The operation resulted in the confiscation of 180 litres of fake cold drinks and significant amounts of harmful raw materials used in their production. Among the items seized were 250kg artificial sweeteners, Over 3,900 bottles of ready-to-sell counterfeit cold drinks, 4,000 empty bottles, 60kg fake bottle caps, 200kg counterfeit labels, chemicals, filling machines, gas cylinders, and storage drums.
Express Tribune
29-05-2025
- Express Tribune
Passengers abandon trains for buses amid rail chaos
Facing a surge in derailments, sudden train cancellations and long delays, a growing number of passengers have begun abandoning Pakistan Railways in favour of luxury bus services. The shift in travel preferences has left the railways operating with reduced passenger numbers, often merging the bookings of two or three trains into one journey due to low occupancy. According to official railway data, over the past month, multiple Up and Down trains, including major routes like Karachi, Faisalabad, and Rawalpindi, have been suspended without prior notice. Notable among the cancelled services are Shah Hussain Business Express and the Shalimar Express. Affected passengers are being accommodated in other trains, such as the Green Line, which itself is frequently delayed. Officials cite an aging railway infrastructure as a key factor. Many tracks, especially in smaller cities and remote regions, are over a century old. Lack of timely maintenance has led to an increase in accidents, derailments, and collisions with trolleys and other vehicles at unguarded crossings. The decaying state of the railway's physical assets has significantly eroded public trust in the service. Adding to passenger frustration are the appalling conditions at railway stations. Waiting areas are overcrowded or nearly non-existent, many platforms are over 100 years old and lack adequate space for passengers and their families, and sanitation is a major issue. Toilets are foul-smelling and often unusable, while food vendors charge exorbitant prices for poor-quality items. Despite repeated visits and surprise inspections by Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi and directives to improve services, conditions have barely improved. Passenger Rehan Hashim, who was scheduled to travel to Karachi, told Express News: "We were shocked to learn our Business Express was canceled. They shifted us to Green Line, which was four hours late. There was no proper waiting area, and the heat was unbearable. Rail travel used to be enjoyable, but now it's a humiliating experience despite paying thousands. Traveling by coach is far better." While Pakistan Railways claims that passenger numbers typically dip during pre-summer vacation months and expects traffic to pick up once schools close, passengers and analysts argue that service quality, not the season, is driving the decline. Officials insist that food quality and station facilities are being upgraded in coordination with the Punjab Food Authority. Yet passengers report no visible improvements beyond short-term clean-up efforts following inspections.
Business Recorder
13-05-2025
- Health
- Business Recorder
PFA discards 5,850kg of unhygienic chicken meat
LAHORE: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) carried out an operation against dead and unhygienic chicken meat in Tollinton Market on Monday. The authority discarded 5,850kg meat of sick chicken and penalized five Food Business Operators (FBOs) with hefty fines. The operation was led by PFA Director General Muhammad Asim Javaid and LDA DG Tahir Farooq. The meat safety task force comprised veterinary specialists and assistant food safety officers. They conducted raids on 21 poultry shops and their godowns to inspect the chicken meat quality and ensure the implementation of PFA Act. The authority also inspected several vehicles loaded with hundreds of chickens. PFA DG Muhammad Asim Javaid said 146.25 maunds of unhygienic meat was discarded after slaughtering the sick chicken. He said the PFA's enforcement team inspected hundreds of fowls weighing 55,000kg during the operation. He said that hundreds of kilograms of chicken were badly affected by various diseases including eye, lungs and paralysis. He added that the consumption of unhygienic chicken meat causes health problems for consumers. Meanwhile, the PFA's meat safety task force imposed hefty fines on meat suppliers over non-compliance with the previous instructions of the competent authority, the PFA DG said. He said the crackdown of meat safety teams continued against unhygienic meat of sick or dead chicken in Tollinton Market and other parts of the city on daily basis. The PFA teams have been checking milk and meat in all districts of Punjab including Lahore by setting up pickets, he added. The Director General said that the sale of underweight, sick or dead chickens will not be tolerated at any cost. He said the utmost priority of PFA is to eliminate the enemies of public health from Punjab. Muhammad Asim Javaid said the PFA is working on developing a meat production and supply system that meets international standards. He said that all available resources are being utilized to root out the illegal businesses of the adulteration mafia. He advised the people to buy fresh meat and get the chicken slaughtered in front of their eyes rather than chicken slaughtered earlier. He said that citizens should report all fraudulent activities around them to the Punjab Food Authority helpline. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
09-05-2025
- Business Recorder
Marmalade-making unit sealed
LAHORE: The food safety teams of the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) sealed a marmalade production unit on Thursday during a crackdown launched against unhygienic food units. A large quantity of prohibited and expired items was discarded confiscated during this raid. According to DG PFA Asim Javed, production area was found infested with insects and cockroaches. Non-food-grade blue drums and prohibited colours were being used in food preparation. Essential records, employee medicals and label registration documents were missing. DG Asim Javed stated that production and expiry dates were not mentioned on products. Rusted fridges, open drains and stagnant water were also observed in unit. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
