Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Authority launched

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Authority was launched on Monday to ensure availability of safe food in the province.

Director General of the body, Riaz Khan Mahsud, told a media briefing that in an attempt to ensure provision and sale of standard food items in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the KP Food Safety & Halal Food Authority (FS&HFA) had been established under the “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety & Halal Food Authority Act 2014” to ensure availability of safe and healthy food for human consumption.

Riaz Mahsud said the authority had started training its staff members after which they would be deputed at divisional offices to execute the act. Talking about the newly constructed state-of-the-art office, he said the government has initiated all-out efforts for smooth functioning of KP Food Authority.

In the first phase, the authority is trying to functionalise Directorate General Office in Peshawar along with its seven Divisional Offices. “The basic purpose of the authority is to lay out standards for food articles and monitor and regulate their manufacturing, storage, distribution, sale and import” he added.

The official added that KP FS & HFA would formulate standards, procedures, processes, and guidelines in relation to any aspect of food including food business, food labelling, food additive, and specify appropriate enforcement systems.

Talking about the authority uniqueness, he maintained that “We have a qualified and expert team of food scientists and beyond that we are in process with the Livestock Department to utilise their 14 mobile and stationary milk testing labs”.

“With this flight, we are establishing offices in seven divisions and with the passage of time the authority will extend its offices to all districts of KP,” added the official.

The KP Food Authority will issue licenses to food operators under the aforementioned categories of food.