Sindh Food Authority’s bill to be tabled soon: Khuhro

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Parliamentarians will table a bill to establish Sindh Food Authority in the next session of Sindh Assembly in order to set up standards for edible products for ensuring quality of foods for the masses throughout the province. This was stated by Senior Minister for Food, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro while speaking to 9th Consumer Food Safety and Quality Conference 2016 organized by Consumer Association of Pakistan (CAP).

Minister said the provincial cabinet has given a green signal to set up Sindh Food Authority in the province but the passage of the bill has yet to be tabled in the provincial assembly which will likely to be approved by the members in the next session.

He added that the law to standardize quality food quality should be made immediately mainly to provide certifications to various edible products because it is responsibility of the provincial government to monitor supplies of quality food items in the province.

He added that selling sub-standard and unhygienic food items to the masses is a major crime but it has been neglected as the law has not been passed in the assembly so far.

Distinguished guests were also present on the occasion including Advisor to CM on religion issues Abdul Qayyum Somoro, Chairman CAP Kokab Iqbal, Malaysian Consul General Ismail Bin Bikri Muhammad, CEO TDAP S M Munir.

Senior Minister said the local markets are abundant with the supplies of unhygienic and sub-standard food since the independence of the country through sale of such eatable products is equally to enmity of the country. Consumers should be intimated the ingredient of the food item which must be compliant of Sharia guidance including conformation of Halal elements in the products, Khuhro said. Imported eatable goods should be tagged as Halal after certification so Muslim will not be let eating harmful ingredients which we call as Haram.

CEO TDAP S M Munir said the inordinate delay of setting up Sindh Food Authority is a source of concerns for the public because it should have been set up many years before by the provincial assembly. He pointed out that sub-standard sale of meat is continued in the province but the inspectors of maintaining food quality are lethargic criminally to perform their duties. He also added the government should raid producers of substandard food on the tip of press and media in order to contain the supply of unhealthy food items in the province.

Chairman CAP Kokab Iqbal said Sindh Food Authority as similar to Punjab Food Authority should be established in the province along with Tribunal and Courts related to food quality in the Sindh. He added that Consumer Association of Pakistan (CAP) organize events on food safety and quality control to educate masses their rights to know about ingredients of good and details of ingredients.

Iqbal added that Halal market has been expanding all across the world which should further grow by Pakistan’s through its contribution of Halal certified products in the country.

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