Peshawar - The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority has commenced an eight-day crackdown on the sale of substandard meat across the province.
Under the directive of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Food Minister Zahir Shah Toru, the campaign which started on November 8, will continue until November 15, targeting meat shops and slaughterhouses in multiple cities.
While giving details, the spokesperson for the Food Authority said that special inspection teams, led by Assistant Directors of Food, have been formed to inspect meat quality, halal certification, and storage standards. Inspections are underway at various districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Teams are conducting checkpoints along key routes to verify compliance with food safety SOPs and to prevent the sale of harmful or low-quality meat.
On the first day of the campaign, the spokesperson informed that food safety teams confiscated a significant quantity of substandard meat, including 800 kg in Peshawar, 40 kg in Mardan, 8 kg in Haripur, and 50 kg in Hangu. Heavy fines were imposed on several violators, and one shop was sealed. Follow-up inspections are also planned to reinforce the campaign’s impact. Director General of the Food Authority Wasif Saeed, reiterated the authority’s commitment to ensuring safe food for the public, emphasizing that similar initiatives will continue in the future.
Secretary for Food Department, Saqib Raza Aslam, added that these efforts aim to raise food quality standards and eliminate substandard products from the market.
Provincial Minister for Food Zahir Shah Toru lauded the campaign and issued a stern warning to those involved in the sale of unsafe meat, stating, “Strict action will be taken against anyone found violating health standards and no leniency will be shown.