KARACHI, May 7: Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has urged the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) to conduct a public inquiry into the import of infected betel nuts (chhalia) as the association sees this import as ‘edible for mass destruction’.

The association has also requested examination of this dangerous cargo by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Karachi and Islamabad.

A letter, sent to the CBR chairman, Riaz Ahmed Malik, on May 3, says that the PMA’s scientific committee, headed by Prof Serajuddulah Syed, has examined the issue and found the imported betel nuts heavily infested by fungi (moulds). On microbiological examination, the committee found these betel nuts infested with a very nasty stain and fungus called Aspergillus Flavus which makes a chemical, aflatoxin, and it is an established poison causing cancer of liver.

“If the betel nut is released, it would lead to health catastrophe,” PMA said urging the CBR to look into the matter on urgent basis and arrange a “total destruction of this dangerous cargo,” the letter, which was also sent to the president, prime minister, finance minister and senior provincial government officials, said.

The Executive Committee of PMA has already passed a resolution to impose a ban on betel nut, gutka and smoking as an important health initiative in Pakistan.

An official in Appraisement Collectorate told Dawn that the collectorate was only releasing betel nuts arriving from Malaysia and Thailand without any hesitation. He said that a common man could reject the confiscated consignment of Indonesian betel nuts as they looked pale in colour with moulds and yields visible.

He said the Appraisement Collectorate had sent the case of infected betel nut imports to the Adjucative Collectorate where importers of this consignment could fight their case.

The official said that the importers had taken the sample to the PCSIR lab which was later rejected by the HEJ Research Institute.

Meanwhile, the office-bearers of All Pakistan Betel Nut Importers and Merchants Association (APBNIMA), in a press briefing on Wednesday, said that the importers had already submitted the PCSIR lab certificate to the collectorate, stating the betel nut was fit for human consumption.

The Chairman of APBNIMA, Sardar Mohammad Sohail, argued that the same quality had been imported for the last many years and Appraisement Collectorate had been releasing it without any hesitation.

“The collectorate is using same technique which it did in confiscating the milk power from East Europe a few months back in order to provide some cheap gains to importers of milk powder of other destinations. Later, the collectorate released the milk powder despite being declared unfit for human consumption,” he added.

The price of betel nuts in the market has increased to Rs120-140 per kg from Rs27 per kg owing to the seizure of 300-400 containers carrying 6,000-7,000 tons of betel nuts, he said. He claimed that it was a calculated move by the collectorate aimed at providing benefits to some importers. The markets have not faced any shortage due the blockage of 400 containers as a sizable quantity has been piled up by the importers which was being released in the markets to make windfalls, he observed.

Sardar Sohail alleged that the PMA had been involved in this game of some market players. “Why has not the PMA raised voice when harmful milk powder and other unhygienic items were imported? Why has it become so active on the betel nut issue?” he questioned.

The PMA’s stance on banning the chhalia, sweet supari and gutka carries no weight as the manufacturers have got ISO-9000 quality certificate regarding chemicals being used in the making, he contended and said, the chemicals were not injurious to health as similar types of chemicals were being used also in producing fruit juices and soft drinks.

He urged the finance minister and chairman of CBR to issue directives to the Appraisement Collectorate for the release of the betel nuts consignments since the certified laboratories had issued clearance certificates.

Sardar Sohail also called for the setting up of an investigation committee which could unearth the game of Appraisement Collectorate, Karachi.

He provided the newsmen some copies of the reports, prepared by the HEJ Research Institute, on microbiological analysis of the betel nuts.

He quoted HEJ Project Director, Dr M. Iqbal Choudhry, as saying: “The sample of betel nuts was found to have a low microbiological load, which is within the specific limit for food items.”

The reports say that the insects-infested betel nuts amounts to 14-15 per cent (not suitable for human consumption), while the rest 81-85 per cent is not infested.

However, in the report, it is mentioned that the imported betel nut carries high bacterial content and yeast, while coliforms, fecal coliforms and mould count were not detected.

To a query that the Aga Khan University Hospital, in its lab test report of betel nuts had also termed the imported item as unfit for human consumption due to high level of mould and aspergillus flavus, Sardar Sohail said the association members had rejected the AKU report as it was based on a statement rather than a proper lab test.

Another importer said that he did know which samples had been sent by the Customs to the Aga Khan. The Customs should have opened the container and taken out the samples in presence of importers, custom officials and lab people.