Mengal posted out, but PFA wants to retain him

LAHORE :For the past one month, the ongoing expansion and policy making in Punjab Food Authority (PFA) is facing a standstill as federal government wants the Authority’s top officer to report back to Balochistan immediately against the nod of the Punjab government.

According to an official document available with The News, a recent letter written by Cabinet Secretariat (Establishment Division), the government of Pakistan dated September 12, 2017 to the chief secretary, Punjab directing him to relieve Noor-ul-Amin Mengal immediately.

Sources said the letter was in continuation of the transfer letter (PF (864) E-5 PAS) issued on August 09, 2017 directing Noor-ul-Amin Mengal, serving as PFA Director General to join the Balochistan government.

Since the transfer orders issued in August 2017, the PFA DG was spending more time in Establishment division, Islamabad or at the office of Chief Secretary Punjab in Lahore to determine his fate. Sources said the Punjab government is not ready to relieve the officer who had also served on prize posts such as DCO Lahore.

PFA Chairman Aamir Hayat Hiraj said that at this stage we can’t relieve Noor-ul-Amin Mengal because he is working on several important tasks and policy making. “I will talk to Punjab Chief Minister and the Punjab government will go all the way to retain PFA DG,” Hiraj maintained.

Sources claimed that the transfer of PFA DG may be the result of lobbying of multinational companies, who are annoyed with the implementation of food laws in Punjab on a par with international standards which are directly affecting their sales and profits. 

Muhammad Hamza Shafqat (Deputy Secretary E-1), in the recent letter written to Chief Secretary Punjab says, “the competent authority has directed to relieve Noor-ul-Amin Mengal to join the Balochistan government on his transfer.” It adds, “the competent authority has further been pleased to direct that the officer may also be directed to join the Balochistan government immediately failing which disciplinary proceedings under the Government Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 1973 shall be initiated against him.”

Sources said a copy of the letter was also served to Mengal with the directions to relinquish charge immediately and report to the Balochistan government by 18th of September, 2017 failing which disciplinary proceedings will be initiated.

On the other hand, absence of PFA DG from his office is seriously affecting the ongoing expansion and policy making in the PFA. “Several important official meetings were postponed due to absence of PFA DG,” said a senior PFA official seeking anonymity. He said how an officer with unclear fate could concentrate on his work.

Recently, the Punjab government has allocated huge funds of Rs2.7 billion for the expansion of Punjab Food Authority (PFA) and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has directed the PFA to expand its canvas by drafting rules and regulations for industrial manufacturing of food and edibles as well as to ensure provision of pure food across the province.

PFA Chairman Aamir Hayat Hiraj said the PFA had made and enforced Punjab Pure Food Regulations 2017, which is a very big achievement and similar rules are being drafted in Sindh and Balochistan. Presently, the PFA is operating in every district of Punjab and around 700 officials/officers are being recruited in the authority for smooth working.

Over a question that big multinational companies are behind the transfer of Mengal, he said this aspect can't be ruled out but this is also not confirmed. He said we have started working on this issue and it will be resolved soon.

Talking about other achievements of PFA, he said the Authority is also upgrading sample testing laboratory while 35 PhD doctors were added to the scientific panel of the authority, who are busy in drafting rules, regulations and SOPs in every field of food manufacturing, processing, storing, labelling, etc.

The PFA is working on developing a financial model for milk pasteurisation after which a five-year business adjustment time will be given to milk suppliers to end their existing business model and enter the pasteurisation regime while a similar two-year business adjustment time will be given to the sellers of all spices after which no one can sell loose spices across the province, Aamir Hiraj said.

Fortification of oil/ghee, flour and salt was one of the big tasks completed by the PFA while sale of carbonated/soft/energy drinks was also banned in schools/colleges despite severe pressures.

The PFA also took serious action against misbranding and wrong labelling especially on tea whiteners, frozen desert, margarine, formula milk and disposable bottles, Aamir Hiraj said and concluded that the Punjab government is working day and night to secure health of citizens and no pressure will be taken.