Independent report
Peshawar, November 12: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority has intensified its province-wide crackdown against food adulteration, seizing and destroying more than 1,500 kilogrammes of unsafe and substandard food items during operations in Peshawar, Mardan, Charsadda and Hangu.
The operations were conducted on the directives of Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Governor’s Advisor on Food, Home and Tribal Affairs and Women Empowerment Kifayatullah. Food safety teams inspected various food production units and business establishments, imposed fines and took action against violations of food safety standards.
According to the Food Authority, teams, accompanied by the district administration, inspected spice manufacturing units in Peshawar, where adulteration involving broken rice, cumin seeds, wheat husks and non-food-grade colours was detected. A production unit was sealed, and approximately 1,200 kilogrammes of adulterated and substandard spices were confiscated.
In Sikandari area of Mardan, 250 kilogrammes of rotten jaggery were destroyed during inspections of jaggery and confectionery production units. A unit found preparing Maranda using substandard jaggery was also heavily fined.
In Tangi Bazaar, Charsadda, a food safety team detected the use of non-food-grade colours and chemicals in jaggery production. More than 200 kilogrammes of sugar and other production materials were seized, while fines were imposed on those responsible. Other food businesses were also inspected and issued improvement notices.
In Hangu’s main bazaar, approximately 70 kilogrammes of substandard sweets and 30 kilogrammes of poor-quality cooking oil were destroyed. Two bakeries were fined for poor hygiene and sanitation arrangements.
Advisor Kifayatullah said the Food Authority’s objective was not to shut down businesses but to ensure the availability of safe and quality food for the public.
He urged citizens to report the sale of adulterated and substandard food products to the Food Authority, stressing that public cooperation was essential for effective action against those endangering public health.
