Life as we know it whirls around sustenance. Food, despite being the basic

necessity of life, is unfortunately deprived of the security it deserves. According to one survey world’s more than half population is consuming unsafe food.

Reports, statistics and numbers of such studies reflect an alarming situation which needs to be addressed on emergency grounds. 16th October marked as World Food Safe Day worldwide is celebrated to address food-related issues and to bring awareness to people in this regard. Every year a theme is set by the concerned stakeholders. This year, in view of the pandemic crisis, FAO called for global solidarity to come out of this crisis together. As propagated by respective focal persons, together we must build the future in a better and modified manner. Despite having enough food production and having advanced technologies and methods to grow food, a big stratum of the population is compelled to consume unsafe food or worst no food at all.

This aspect is quite saddening and we must focus to find a perfect balance in the food system. This issue is not confined to the international level but this issue is one of the major issues of Pakistan also. However, fortunately recently concerned stakeholders are focusing heavily on such issues and strategizing to come out of this crisis in a better way as soon as possible especially in the most populous province of Pakistan, Punjab. Punjab’s food regulatory authority, Punjab Food Authority, its director-general Irfan Nawaz Memon and chairman Umer Tanveer Butt upon the special instructions of Chief Minister of Punjab are working day and night to ensure the provision of safe food to all people of Punjab. Also, the awareness drive they are running in this regard is quite impressive. We must support such determination and also play our due part.

NAWAL TARIQ,

Lahore.