PFA closed down Asia Hotel at Lakshmi Chowk

Lahore : The provincial food regulatory body sealed three food businesses for producing fake food products, over failure to produce a record and not to maintain hygiene working environment in the provincial metropolis, on Wednesday.

Besides, enforcement teams of Punjab Food Authority imposed Rs151,000 cumulative fine on nine food business operators over minor violations of the PFA Act. The action was taken against violators while carrying out a drive against the unhygienic food points and processing units for examining the food quality and food safety measures.

PFA Director General Captain (R) Muhammad Usman said that a team of PFA raided Bashir Cola factory located at Rizwan Park opposite Shehzan Factory, and sealed it producing fake fizzy carbonated drinks of renowned companies. He said that PFA also discovered non-food grade colour, cigarette buds, contamination of poor quality chemicals and artificial flavours in drinks. Apart from that, the factory was failed to produce medical certificates of its workers. Further, PFA has registered a case against the accused on account of forgery in the police station, he added.

In a separate raid, PFA closed down Asia Hotel at Lakshmi Chowk due to use non-food grade foam, the richness of cockroaches, the presence of washroom in production area, open drains and poor sanitation.

A hotel was also failed to maintain the hygiene working environment.

Moreover, PFA has shut My Pakistan Water Filtration Plant on PIA Road for using illicitly PFA’s logo, unavailability of record and other violations. Usman said that to maintain the food standard is a continuous process whereas PFA cannot give a guarantee of food standards of any food business to allow them for using PFA’s logo.

He said that the PFA also served warning notices for improvement on 240 food points in a daylong activity.

Moreover, PFA officials issued a fine tickets of Rs50,000 to Super Store at Mahmood Kasuri Road, Rs10,000 fine to Nirala Butt Karahi Lakshami Chowk, Rs8,000 fine to Butt Karahi, Rs5,000 to Khalish Milk and Falodha Shop in Fathehgarh, Rs8,000 fine to Jutt Gee Milk Shop and Rs20,000 fine each to Charsi Tika, ETO (snacks unit) and Tabaq Restaurant.