LAHORE - Admitting the sale of dead meat as well as that of donkeys at different restaurants and shops in the province, Minister for Food Bilal Yasin has said that the government is taking practical measures to deal with the situation.
Replying to an adjournment motion moved by treasury legislator Sh Allauddin regarding import of expired 71 ton meat by a leading chain of restaurants at the Punjab assembly floor on Friday, Yasin said that the meat of donkeys and dead animals was being sold out somewhere in the Punjab and the culprits had already been arrested red-handed.
Bilal Yasin revealed that these hotels and restaurants were recollecting and representing the leftover of soft drinks to new customers. He further confirmed that horse feed was being used in making red chilli. He also disclosed that these restaurants were using same oil for six to seven times. The Punjab Assembly’s session started 45 minutes behind the scheduled time with Speaker Rana Iqbal in the chair. Special prayers were offered for the victims of Anarkali Fire Tragedy and Rangers Jawans martyred due to Indian firing at Shakargarh Border.
Speaker Rana Iqbal advised the Food minister to conduct raids on different franchises of McDonald to check on the quality. However, the Minister informed him about the raids already made in this regard.
The scheduled general debate on the cultivation of sugarcane and problems of farmers was first postponed as the proceedings were adjourned after the Opposition legislator Shahabub Din pointed out the quorum. But, later on, the House started general debate on the issue.
The Food minister said that there were only 44 Sugar mills in Punjab and the government had fixed the rate of sugarcane at Rs180 per 40kg.
Participating in the debate, treasury legislator Asif Bajwa said that sugar mills were buying sugarcane from farmers at low price of Rs150 per 40kg and the government should take notice of that. He suggested the government to fix the rate of all fertilizers providing free electricity for tube wells. Another treasury member Tariq Bajwa demanded the government to amend the Act 1950 installing a public weigh machine outside the sugar mills. He also suggested the government to get sugar mills' financial audit after every 15 days regarding their payments to farmers.
During Question Hour on Finance, Information and Culture and Population Welfare departments, parliamentary secretaries Rana Babar Hussain and Rana Arshad answered the queries about their relevant departments.
Due to the absence of the provincial minister for Population Welfare Zakiya Shahnawaz, all the related questions to the department were postponed till next session on her special request.
On a question about odd dances and words carrying dual meanings in the stage dramas, Rana Arshad said that a Script Scrutiny Committee had already been constituted in this regard. He added that the government was taking action against artists and theaters owners violating the rules and set parameters. To another query, he said that the chief minister had enhanced the welfare fund for artists from Rs20 million to Rs25 million along with increase of scholarships from 117 to 142 during the current fiscal year for the promotion of culture in Punjab.
Commenting on an issue raised by treasury legislator Farzana Nazir on a point of order, he told the House that Punjab government had withdrawn tax on cinemas for boosting up the local film industry. The speaker adjourned the session till Monday.