The National Assembly (NA) was informed Friday that the government was continuously monitoring food quality and an action will be taken against adulteration.
Minister for Science and Technology Zahid Hamid told the House in response to a calling attention notice that a national institution for standard checking, Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), has already issued standards for 78 compulsory edible items.
However, he said, quality monitoring and control was the responsibility of the provinces and they had relevant laws for it.
“What was required at the national level has been done by PSQCA. Now it is the responsibility of the provinces to implement these standards,” the minister added.
MNAs Parveen Masood Bhatti, Khalida Mansoor, Nighat Perveen Mir, Shahnaz Saleen and Rana Afzaal Husain had drawn the attention of the minister towards this issue and pointed out that food items were being adulterated for profiteering.
The minister agreed with the members that the problem existed and stated although it was responsibility of provinces yet the federal government has also asked PSQCA to also take notice of this problem and proceed accordingly.
The minister also informed the House that certain sub-standard dyes and colours were reportedly being used in toffees, candies, beverages and edible oil and the report was sent to provinces for action.
Similarly, he said, the government was actively focusing on quality of portable and mineral water with Pakistan Council for Research in Water Resources checking water quality on quarterly basis and issuing the report to the federal and the provincial governments. He said adulteration was a serious issue and it was also identified during a survey conducted by Pakistan Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR).
When asked about action at provincial level, Zahid Hamid said that Punjab had enacted an authority for quality control while there are also reports from other provinces about legislation on this issue.
