Won’t allow sale of chemicals as milk, says CJP

LAHORE: The Supreme Court on Thursday continued proceedings in a case against production of substandard milk and issued a stern warning to the companies to abstain from fooling the people and playing with their lives by selling tea-whitener in the name of milk.

A two-member SC bench, headed by Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, issued notices to seven companies involved in the business of packed as well as skimmed milk, remarking that consumption of substandard milk is causing health problems in children.

The bench was hearing a petition, filed by Watan Party leader Barrister Zafarullah Khan.

The chief justice directed lawyers for the tea-whitener (powder and pasteurised milk) manufacturing companies to make their clients write on the products in bold-text, “It is not milk”.

The chief justice remarked: “We will not allow these companies to sell chemical in the name of milk.”

Notices were also issued to a company, which is manufacturing steroid injections, meant for boosting milk production in buffaloes.

“We do not want to tarnish the image of any company or shut down people’s businesses. But, at the same time, the law violators would not be allowed to mislead or deceive the innocent people.

“The guilty companies would have to face consequences of their wrongdoings,” the CJ said in a strict note.

During the course of hearing, the CJ also shared his experience and disclosed that he himself was unaware of the difference between “tea-whitener” and milk.

“I myself kept on using powder milk for years in childhood, considering it as milk. I stopped using powder milk on the advice of a herbalist,” the chief justice said, while addressing Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Saeed, Director General of Punjab Food Authority Noorul Amin Mengal and a number of lawyers were present in his court.

Mengal told the court that food and milk safety teams were being formed to take samples of milk on regular basis, adding that trading of powder milk had been banned after it was found harmful for human consumption.

The CJ remarked that monitoring of such teams should also be done to minimise chances of collusion between team members and the law violators, adding that sale of loose milk had become the source of different health issues.

The CJ put a query to the DG about the ban on manufacturing of steroid injections, meant for boosting milk production in buffaloes.

The DG replied that a complete ban had been imposed on such steroids and also licenses of the manufacturers had been cancelled. He said that pasteurisation law had been approved to bring the sale of loose milk under the ambit of law. He pointed out that sale of substandard milk could not be quelled completely without enforcing the pasteurisation law.

However, he pointed out that the manufacturing companies obtain stay orders from the courts.

The CJ also seemed worried about the use of steroids in milk and chicken products.

He said the situation was getting alarming day by day as the use of steroid in milk and chicken production had been causing direct effects on human body. Complaints of hormone imbalance have become a common phenomenon, particularly among young girls, he added.

He also directed the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to strictly monitor advertisements of these companies whether they mentioned truth about their products.

The bench issued notices to seven tea-whitener and milk manufacturing companies including Shakarganj foods, Haleeb and Dalda foods. It also issued notices to two steroid manufacturing companies -- ICI Pharmaceutical and Ghazi Brothers -- for next hearing.

The CJ also expressed concern over the sale of substandard and used cooking oil in the markets and its consumption at famous food outlets. Reiterating his determination to protect the rights of citizens, Justice Nisar observed, “We would not let our children consume this poison.”

The same bench, led by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, also heard a suo motu case against contaminated water and substandard bottled water.

The CJ remarked that the government should change its priorities and reduce one coach of Orange Line Metro Train in Lahore to save money for the establishment of an incineration plant to dispose of hospital waste.

Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) Managing Director Dr Javed Iqbal told the court that there were 575 tube-wells in Lahore city for supply of water.

The CJ ordered him to present an analysis report after taking water samples from all tube-wells in city.

He regretted, “The state is not discharging its constitutional responsibility as both water and air are getting polluted.” He said the Punjab government would have to change its priorities.

CJ Nisar lamented that people had been falling prey to hepatitis after consuming contaminated water and costly treatment of the disease was another woe for the poor.

A report submitted by PFA DG Mengal stated that sample analysis had been conducted of 412 bottled water companies so far, out of a total of 1,148 registered companies in the province. It said 145 companies had been sealed for selling substandard bottled water.

The chief justice directed the PFA to take samples of the water being supplied to his chamber and Lahore High Court Bar Association as well in addition to 100 samples from different points in the city.

Earlier, the chief secretary told the bench that water filtration plants had been installed in Lahore and other cities to provide clean drinking water to people.

He said after the launch of development programmes, citizens had stopped consuming canal water in rural areas of the province.

The CJ directed the chief secretary to furnish a detailed report about the budget of Punjab Saaf Pani Company.

He observed that the court would not hold political leadership wholly responsible for the faults in the system and pointed finger at the bureaucracy. The bench adjourned the hearing till December 30.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Thursday sought complete record of three medical colleges including Sharif Medical and Dental College owned by Nawaz Sharif in a suo muto notice, taken on fee structure, admission criteria and facilities being provided to students at private medical colleges.

A two-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, passed the order at the Supreme Court Lahore Registry.

The bench ordered owners of Central Park Medical College and Amna Inayat Medical College to appear in person along with affidavits and details about fee structure, admission criteria and facilities being provided to the medical students.

At the outset of the hearing, Punjab Governor’s son Asif Rajwana appeared before the court and sought pardon from the court for sending a text message to a woman lawyer for admission of medical student to a local medical college.

“What did you want to say her on phone?” the CJ asked Rajwana snubbing him, “How did you dare to interfere in a court matter?” The bench rejected his oral apology and directed him to submit a written apology. The court also accepted unconditional apology of Faisalabad Medical University Vice Chancellor Dr Fareed Zafar.

Meantime, Sharif Medial City Principal Brig (retd) Zafar Ahmad appeared before the bench. However, the chief justice asked him why he did not appear before the court on Wednesday.

“I summoned the owner but he couldn’t come,” the CJP remarked.

To a court query, he replied that it was working under a trust and Nawaz Sharif was its chairman. On it, the CJ remarked that “Why he couldn’t come. He should have himself appeared before the court.”

Answering a question about the fee structure, the principal said that they had been charging Rs875,000 (per year). The CJ asked him why they were getting extra fee.

The bench directed him to fill the performa about details of bank accounts and expenditure incurred on running it. “We’ll not allow money become a hurdle in the way of intelligent children’s education,” the CJ remarked.

Meanwhile, a person in the courtroom suddenly broke into tears and said her daughter met the merit but they couldn’t afford the fee. He said, “I hardly managed Rs500,000 for the fee of my daughter and couldn’t pay the rest of the amount,” he added.

Justice Nisar said they had been hearing the fee matter and hopefully they would find a way for the poor students. He remarked that otherwise he would pay from his own pocket.

A representative for the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) told the court that five per cent scholarship quota for brilliant students was available, but they never received any single application from the private colleges for the scholarship award.

The Punjab chief secretary said on rostrum that the Punjab Endowment Fund was established for the financial support of intelligent and deserving students. On it, the bench directed him to check that to what extent the fund could support the deserving students. The court adjourned further hearing until January 6.