Crackdown on tax defaulting vehicles starts

LAHORE: The Excise and Taxation Department of Punjab on Wednesday started a crackdown on token tax defaulting vehicles across the province.

Blockades were established at the entry and exit points of all major cities. Excise & Taxation (DGET) Punjab Director General Muhammad Ali visited various places in City, including Thokar Niaz Beg and Saggian Pul and issued instructions that token tax should be collected from defaulting vehicles on the spot, documents of non-paying vehicles should be seized as well besides seizing the vehicles that neither had documents nor paid the tax. He said that the excise officers should ensure the achievement of the set targets and be courteous to the vehicle owners during the campaign.

The DG said that officers should make people feel responsible citizens and conduct awareness campaigns to motivate them to pay taxes. He urged that the officers should try to achieve the targets before the end of the financial year. The DG verified the presence of field officers on blockades through mobile phone across Punjab.

Fake beverages unit unearthed: Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on Wednesday unearthed a fake beverages manufacturing unit producing carbonated drinks of different popular brands.

The operation was conducted under the supervision of PFA Deputy Director (Operations) Lahore on Barki Road. The authority also lodged an FIR against the owner of the unit in the nearest police station on account of adulteration, forgery and for violating the Punjab Pure Food Regulations. This was informed by PFA Director General Muddassir Riaz Malik. He said that the food authority has rooted out the fake beverages unit after confiscating 3,000 empty bottles, artificial flavours, packing material, lids, labelling, cylinders and machinery.

He said that fake beverages were being prepared with prohibited and harmful chemicals just for minting money. He added that the raiding team also found the contamination of artificial sweeteners and unclean water in the soft drinks.

The DG said that harmful beverages were supplied to local food points in many areas after fake packaging and labelling. He appealed to the general public to inform the food authority on the PFA Helpline number 1223 or social media accounts about fake beverage factories and people.

PFA has escalated its operations activities against the counterfeiters and adulteration mafia in Punjab before the start of Ramazan, he added. Meanwhile, PFA also foiled an attempt to supply 137kg tainted spices while carrying out a raid on Ansaar Ali Spices (grinding unit).

PFA DG said that adulterated spices were to be supplied to the different small general stores and hotels; however, the raiding team ruined their unholy ambitions by taking timely action.

He said that the raiding team discarded more than two mounds of tainted red chilli after proven contamination of adulterated ingredients. He said that the team also witnessed the poor cleanliness arrangements and violation of the packing regulations. Apart from that, workers of the unit did not have medical certificates.

Muddassir Malik said the use of adulterated spices causes intestine cancer and stomach problems for consumers. He said that PFA would not spare anyone who would be involved in the business of food adulteration.

The director general has requested people to buy packed spices and ensure to read the writing on the label before purchasing any foodstuff because reading food labels can help people make smart food choices.