Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif has granted approval for establishment of a completely autonomous Punjab Agriculture Food and Drug Authority.
Addressing a meeting through video-link at the Civil Secretariat on Tuesday, the chief minister said that establishing the authority was of vital importance for the provision of quality drugs to people, supply of best agri medicines and fertilisers besides adulteration-free food to the masses.
The Punjab Agriculture Food and Drug Authority would be fully autonomous and after the establishment of the first modern drug testing laboratory in Lahore, drug testing labs in Multan, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur and Rawalpindi will also be upgraded.
The chief minister said that work should be carried out expeditiously for modernising the drug testing labs in the four big cities of Punjab and all matters in this regard should be handled in a professional manner.
He said that setting up of the authority would help curb substandard and adulterated food, drugs, agri medicines and sprays.
Sharif said the Punjab Agriculture Food and Drug Authority would be free from any interference and ordered that new staff be recruited for the authority and for the purpose of up-gradation of the labs, special attention be paid to training of the staffers.
The chief minister ordered that paperless system be introduced in the authority and the entire system be digitalised and all-out resources be made available for this important project.
Sharif on the occasion appreciated the provincial ministers, chief secretary, additional chief secretary, Planning and Development chairman and secretaries concerned over speedy disposal of the matters relating to the project of setting up of the authority and up-gradation of other drug testing labs.