LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shehbaz Sharif, while showing his satisfaction over the performance of the Punjab Food Authority (PFA), said Wednesday that the authority has become a reliable institution and would be provided funds of Rs 20 billion on demand.
Addressing an “International Convention on Food Safety and Nutrition in Pakistan” organised by the PFA, the CM said that PFA’s services for safeguarding the health of citizens were commendable.
He said the PFA had done a marvellous job in the food sector by initiating operations against food outlets selling adulterated food, while adding that the authority still needed to work hard to ensure smooth working in the future as well.
CM Shehbaz said, “The authority has a good check and balance mechanism in place for five-star restaurants, but 95 per cent of the masses belonged to the middle and lower class. These classes should be given the same quality of hygienic food that was available at expensive restaurants. Therefore, it is necessary to raid small food outlets as well to provide clean food to the common man.”
He further said that, “Malaysia, Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia have left us behind in the food sector. It is a big responsibility to provide standard food to an entire country and the dream would only become true in Pakistan when revolutionary steps are taken in this regard.”
He also said, “We have lost much time, but a good culture of food consumption is being developed in our country which would benefit all.”
Moreover, Shehbaz said that Pakistan had no shortage of resources and funds, as Punjab government itself was building a state-of-the-art kidney and liver hospital worth Rs 20 billion in Lahore and its first phase would be completed by December 25.
Punjab Ministers Rana Sanaullah, Rana Mashhood, Bilal Yaseen, Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, PFA Chairman Amir Hayat Haraj, PFA DG Noorul Amin Mengal and a large number of
medical experts also attended the convention.
