On the directives of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Food Zahir Shah Toru, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority (KPFS&HFA) has intensified its province-wide crackdown against hazardous and substandard beverages, seizing thousands of fake juice packs and soft drinks in major operations conducted in Peshawar and Mardan.
According to the KP Food Authority spokesperson, a major raid was carried out by the Peshawar food safety team on a production unit at a residential house in the Touheedabad area on Phando Road. During the operation, over 3,500 packs of substandard juice were confiscated, while 500 liters were destroyed on the spot. Additionally, 100 kilograms of mislabeled packaging material was recovered, and the illegal facility was immediately sealed. The spokesperson noted that the tainted juices were being supplied to the suburban areas of Peshawar.
In a separate action, the Mardan food safety team unearthed a factory involved in the production of counterfeit carbonated beverages under the names of popular brands. The unit, located in Par Hoti, was sealed after the recovery of machinery and large fake products.
The spokesperson further informed that the owners were heavily fined, and further legal proceedings under the Food Safety Act have been initiated.
Food Minister Zahir Shah Toru lauded the actions taken and directed that operations against adulterators be further intensified, reiterating the government’s zero-tolerance policy against food adulteration. “There will be no compromise on public health,” he stated.
Director General of the KPFS&HFA Wasif Saeed, commended the field teams and declared that no individual will be allowed to play with public health. “Strict and indiscriminate actions will continue across the province,” he said. The DG also urged the public to report such malicious practices to the authority, adding that “the elimination of these anti-health elements is only possible with active public cooperation.”
