Massive Food Safety Sweep: BFA Shuts Down Baking Unit, Penalizes Dozens in Relentless Provincial Drive

Independent Report
QUETTA, Feb 12: Acting on the special directives of Provincial Minister for Food and Chairman Balochistan Food Authority (BFA) Haji Noor Muhammad Dummar, the BFA has accelerated province-wide enforcement operations targeting the manufacture and sale of unsafe and unhygienic food items.
As part of the intensified campaign, inspection teams carried out extensive checks in Quetta, Sibi, Loralai, Sohbatpur and Panjgur. During the ongoing drive, one baking unit in Quetta was sealed, while more than 20 food businesses were fined for breaching food safety standards.
A spokesperson for the BFA stated that action was taken against a range of establishments, including baking units, general stores, departmental stores, meat shops, hotels, restaurants and milk sellers. Authorities also confiscated significant quantities of expired and hazardous food products, which were destroyed on the spot.
In Quetta, food safety teams examined 48 outlets situated along Spini Road and CPEC Road. One baking facility was sealed over serious violations, and two others were penalized. Meanwhile, 44 meat, beef, mutton, poultry and fish vendors were served final warning notices and instructed to strictly adhere to prescribed standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Shopkeepers were directed to uphold strict hygiene protocols, ensure proper waste disposal, maintain personal cleanliness, use personal protective equipment (PPE), refrain from displaying meat in open spaces and shield fish from direct sunlight exposure.
The sealed baking unit was found operating without clearly displaying production and expiry dates, and inspectors observed poor waste management practices. Another baking unit faced fines for unsanitary conditions, using newspaper for packaging food, improper storage of cream and butter, and oil leakage from machinery.
In a separate operation, a general store was fined after banned gutka was recovered and irregular food storage practices were detected.
Additional inspections conducted at Alamo Chowk, Killi Almas and Airport Road covered 37 more food outlets. During these visits, three operators were fined, 10 were issued improvement notices and 27 meat and fish vendors were given final warnings. Legal proceedings were also initiated against three businesses found operating without valid licenses.
Meat sellers were categorically instructed that open display of hanging meat is strictly prohibited. They were told that cutting must be carried out only upon customer request, daily waste disposal is mandatory and workers must wear gloves, head covers, aprons and gumboots at all times.
Similarly, fish vendors were cautioned to cover their products with protective nets to prevent contamination and sun exposure, maintain proper temperature control, ensure routine cleaning and sanitization and implement effective pest control measures.
The BFA reaffirmed its resolve to protect public health, warning that stringent enforcement measures will persist against violators of food safety regulations throughout the province.