LAHORE - The Punjab Government has not implemented the revised Pure Food Rules 2007 even eight months after the notification, reportedly to please the multinational companies who wanted changes of their liking to be incorporated in these Rules. The revised Pure Food Rules 2007 were notified in August 2008 after detailed discussion on each and every clause. According to the officials, all the stakeholders including the representatives from multi national companies attended scores of meetings and given their nod to the final draft of the Rules. The Rules were notified after taking into confidence all the stakeholders including the multinational companies. But later they resisted the implementation and used the platform of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry for incorporating changes of their choice in the Rules, said Zahid Hussain, a person running dairy business in Lahore. He said that the LCCI has quoted standards of Codex alimentarious and Pakistan Standard Quality Control Authority while supporting changes in the rules. Codex standards are not followed in Europe. PSQCA has not its own standards, as it is a certifying agency. Every country sets its own standards according to the requirements of people. The rules have been finalised after thorough deliberation and there is no need of following standards of any other country or an agency, said Zahid Hussain. Referring to same changes recommended by the LCCI, he said these safeguard the interests of multinational companies and not the consumers. The LCCI has recommended following Codex standards in infant formula that will allow use of items not extracted from milk. For Desi Ghee, it has recommended reducing refractive index from 1.4524-1.4538 to 1.4509-1.4541. Reduction in refractive index will allow more vegetable fat in Desi Ghee. For liquid tea whitener, the Rules require 7 per cent milk fat and 9 per cent milk solids other than fat. The LCCI has proposed reduction in fat contents to 6.5 per cent with the permission of using vegetable fat. It has also proposed reducing solid other than fat to 3 per cent and that too with the permission of using other food additives. The rules require buffalo milk standard for mixed milk. The LCCI has proposed 5 per cent fat contents, 7.5 per cent solid not fat and 12.4 per cent totals solids. The LCCI has also proposed reduction in solid not fat contents in standardized milk, he said, adding, these changes would largely benefit the manufacturing companies and not the general public. He said the companies had earlier agreed on the rules but were now opposing their implementation. He said that the rules should be implemented and if some changes were necessary, these could be incorporated after taking other stakeholders into confidence. Urging early implementation of the rules, he said the government should protect the rights of general public instead of watching interests of multinational companies.