PHC directs govt to ensure supply of hygienic milk in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has directed secretary Food, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and deputy commissioner to ensure that the milk being supplied in the provincial capital is in accordance with the standards set by the government.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Ikramullah Khan also directed the officials to submit progress report on the issue at the next hearing of the case.  The court summoned director Food, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on March 22 directing him to explain the steps taken by the government for ensuring supply of safe and hygienic milk in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The court issued directions in a writ petition filed by a Peshawar-based lawyer, Muhammad Khurshid Khan, against the use of adulterated and synthetic milk and supply of dead poultry from the Punjab to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

During the hearing, the petitioner requested the court to issue directions to the provincial government for establishment of a food authority in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa like the one set up in Punjab and establish mobile laboratory units in all districts of the province.

He said that on January 20 the Peshawar administration disposed of 8,000 litres adulterated milk supplied from the Punjab after laboratory tests showed that limestone, cooking oil and sugarcane juice were mixed with the milk.

The petitioner said that about 150,000 litres milk was being supplied to Peshawar city alone and this is used without tests and inspection. He pointed out that Pakistan is the fifth largest milk producing country in the world, but unfortunately the milk being brought to Peshawar was adulterated and was injurious to health. He claimed that synthetic milk was also being sold in the market.

Also, the petitioner said there were big poultry farms in Punjab where birds in thousands die. He claimed that the dead poultry is deceitfully sold to dealers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at very low prices and brought through containers for distribution in hotels.