Unsafe, adulterated food commonly sold in markets: Rehman Malik

ISLAMABAD: Former interior minister and Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior, Senator A. Rehman Malik, on Thursday said that a healthy society is not only vital for better quality of life but it also boosts the quality of human capital and socioeconomic development of the country.

While addressing a seminar today here in Islamabad, Senator Rehman Malik said that adulteration and unsafe food are the major causes of growing diseases in Pakistan. He said that safe and hygienic food is the basic right of every citizen and it is the foremost responsibility of the state to ensure its availability.

Malik said that unfortunately unsafe and unhygienic food is being commonly sold in markets. He said that across the country, including the capital, there is no formal authority to monitor food quality and there exists no mechanism to do so. He said that our laws are too weak to control food adulteration.

He said that he was shocked to see vendors selling substandard food items and spurious drinks outside schools, colleges and universities. This is a very serious issue and it needs government's serious attentions.

The senator said that on February 7, 2018, when he, as Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior, took notice of sale of adulterated milk and meat of dead animals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, he was told that this is a common practice across the country. He added that he had recommended legislation and establishment of ICT Food Authority.

He said that there should be a National Food Security Authority and asked the citizens to play their role in ensuring provision of safe food. He said that the Senate Standing Committee on Interior had recommended the establishment of a slaughter house in Islamabad and every district of the country duly monitored by respective district administration.

He explained the Pure Food Authority Bill, 2019 which was referred to his committee on September 2, 2019 and approved on December 9, 2019.