MULTAN-Amidst the tall claims made by the Punjab food minister on Wednesday, a district administration team unearthed and sealed a factory manufacturing ghee from the remains of animals and arrested 16 persons.
The District Task Force for Food also recovered a big cache of bones, fats, intestines and remains of dead animals from the factory besides huge quantity of ghee ready to be supplied to the market.
The team conducted a surprise raid under the leadership of AC Saddar Malik Ata Ullah at Chungi No-14 at a house where the secret factory was set up. The team caught the accused red-handed while melting animal fats to extract oil. Sources said that he same factory was also supplied raw material for preparing ghee from Industrial Estate. The task force caught 16 people who were shifted to Delhi Gate police station. Meanwhile, police registered a case against the accused and investigation was underway.
It is the second raid on a factory manufacturing ghee and oil out of animal remains. Earlier, a factory manufacturing highly injurious to health ghee was sealed by the task force.
On the other side, Punjab Minister for Food Bilal Yaseen disclosed on Wednesday the government intended to launch province-wide crackdowns on manufacturers and sellers of fake edibles.
He said that a separate department was likely to be set up for the purpose, he said while talking to the journalists. He added that the government was going to expand the outreach and operation of Punjab Food Authority to the entire province which would serve as a separate department to crush the dirty business of fake edibles.
He said that the actions taken by the district government for ensuring pure food were laudable and recommendations suggesting very strict action under food act against adulterators would be proposed to the government.
He said that Multan district showed distinction in action against manufacturers and sellers of counterfeit ghee and other items. He added that dozens of actions were taken during the last two weeks as the people playing with the lives do not deserve leniency.
Earlier, the minister visited the factory caught by the pure food wing of district government and inspected the stock of counterfeit ghee. He issued order for sealing the factory and launching of strict action against the owner.