The Lahore High Court on Thursday restrained Punjab Food Authority (PFA) from advertising its raids on Facebook.
Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh passed the ruling on a petition filed by Restaurants Association challenging the PFA’s raids on restaurants and bakeries.
The petitioner’s counsel arguing before the court submitted that PFA’s raids on restaurants and bakeries could not be advertised by the authority on the social media website Facebook, because the identity of the eateries and related people could not be revealed till the guilt had been proven in the court
He further said that the method adopted by the authority for raid was also illegal in the absence of standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Challenging PFA’s powers to seal the restaurants and bakeries, the counsel pointed out that the authority did not have arrangements to check food safety.
He further contended that the present structure of the PFA was illegal as stakeholders were not included.
After hearing the arguments, the court restrained PFA from advertising its actions on Facebook and asked a law officer to ensure the implementation of court orders.
The court adjourned further hearing on the matter till October 20 and issued notices to Punjab government and the PFA.
