Punjab unveils plan to ensure safe, high-quality food

LAHORE: Following directives from Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has launched an ambitious five-year roadmap aimed at eliminating food adulteration and ensuring the public’s access to safe and high-quality food.

As part of the plan, which is based on the recently amended Punjab Food Authority Rules 2024, the PFA would establish offices in every tehsil of Punjab, alongside dedicated units for meat, dairy, and oil & ghee safety. New food safety laws would be developed in collaboration with Local Government and Agriculture departments, while a task force would work to improve nutrition for women and children.

The plan also includes setting up food laboratories in all divisional headquarters, regular monitoring of halal food standards, and initiatives to reduce plastic use in food packaging by 50 percent. According to documents obtained by this correspondent, the Punjab Food Authority Act, initially amended in 2016, is being revised again to introduce harsher penalties for violators. A draft amendment proposes increasing sentences for food adulteration, making offenses non-bailable in certain cases. Currently, those caught in food adulteration face imprisonment of up to six months and fines ranging from one lakh to one million rupees. The new amendments would increase the punishment to imprisonment of six months to five years, along with fines of up to one million rupees. If someone falls ill due to consuming unsafe food, the offense would become non-bailable, carrying a minimum one-year sentence and fines up to one million rupees. In cases where food adulteration leads to death, offenders could face up to 10 years in prison and fines ranging from Rs2 million to Rs10 million.a