CJ Saqib Nisar vows to curb sale of ‘chemical’ as milk

LAHORE: Supreme Court of Pakistan Chief Justice Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Thursday said that the court will not let people getting fooled and allow the sale of ‘chemical’ as milk.

Hearing the suo motu case of harmful effects of packaged milk at the Supreme Court’s Lahore registry, the chief justice observed that it should be written boldly on milk packs that “this is not milk”.

Notices were also sent to companies selling powdered milk and their response was sought. The court also summoned details of companies selling chemical as milk or powdered milk.

In the hearing, he said that the court will tell PEMRA to run an awareness campaign regarding milk. “I am also a victim of this [unsafe milk],” the chief justice observed.

Appearing in court, Punjab Food Authority Director General Noorul Amin Mengal said that an awareness campaign is being carried out by the authority. He added that the sale of powdered milk has been banned across the province, adding that special ‘milk safety’ teams are being formed which will check the quality of milk samples on a daily basis.

Justice Saqib Nisar observed that children are hooked on powdered milk. “But this is not milk,” the chief justice stated.

The court also observed that complaints of hormonal changes among children from chicken are common. “Our bodies are being affected by the use of injections and steroids on chickens,” he remarked.

The court then summoned the record of notices sent to companies selling such injections.

The chief justice also held that the purpose of the court was not to close down someone’s business, stating that the court will not allow legitimate and safe milk sellers to be maligned.

Chief Justice Nisar also observed that ‘pakoras’ and ‘halwa puri’ are made from used cooking oil. He said that used ‘ghee’ is like diesel, which is extremely dangerous for one’s health. The chief justice stated that the court will not let big food companies sell used cooking oil.

Meanwhile, during the hearing of the suo motu case for the provision of safe drinking water, Punjab chief secretary accepted before the court that polluted material from hospitals and residential localities is being added in streams.