Seal ice cream company units: CJP

LAHORE: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday directed the Punjab Food Authority to seal all ice cream production units of the Gourmet bakery across Punjab.

A two-judge SC bench was hearing an application filed by the Director General Punjab Food Authority (PFA) at the apex court's Lahore registry.

Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar issued the order after he was informed that the PFA had declared the bakery’s all brands of ice cream harmful for humanconsumption. The court also ordered the PFA to assess quality of all other edible products of the company.

PFA Director General Capt (retd) Muhammad Usman in his application complained that a news channel owned by the bakery had launched a “character assassination” campaign against him after an operation against the brand’s ice cream was carried out. He complained that other news channels and newspapers also did not air and published news pertaining to substandard food products.

“Once investigated, the whole story would be uncovered,” observed the chief justice. The top judge remarked that he would see which channel or newspaper did not carry the news against companies producing substandard food items. and summoned the director general of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority today (Wednesday).

The chief justice was furious over a call that he received, requesting him to extend favour or show leniency to the company. “How dare you make Sifarish to me?” Justice Nisar asked a senior staffer of the channel who was present in the courtroom. The court will resume the hearing on Wednesday (today).