LAHORE: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) to submit comprehensive reports about quality of packed/loose milk and drinking water available in the market.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Mian Saqib Nisar was hearing a petition against sale of substandard milk and drinking water.

PFA Director General Noorul Ameen Mengal along with representatives of University of Agriculture Faisalabad, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, and Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) appeared before the court.

The PCSIR official submitted a sealed report about examination of samples taken from milk and water companies. He said samples of nine out of 11 packed milk companies had been found substandard. While, samples of six mineral water manufacturing companies had been declared substandard, he added.

Mr Mengal told the court that action was being taken against the manufacturers of unhygienic milk and water.

Court tells PFA to submit report on milk, water

Justice Nisar observed that the court would not allow anyone to play havoc with the lives of citizens.

The judge directed the PFA to submit reports on water and milk samples within a month. The bench would resume hearing on Dec 27.

Barrister Zafarullah Khan of Watan Party had filed the petition. He contended that use of contaminated and substandard milk had been causing serious diseases like Cancer and Hepatitis-C among the citizens. He said citizens were being fed poison by the use of steroid injection for boosting milk production of buffaloes and quick growth of broiler chicken.

He asked the court to ban use of adulterated milk and water, sale of broiler poultry as well as sale of injections being used for buffaloes.

GOVERNOR: The Lahore High Court chief justice on Thursday sought arguments on maintainability of a petition challenging appointment of former chief justice Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqi as Sindh governor.

Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah directed the petitioner, Barrister Javed Iqbal Jafree, to come up with convincing arguments as to how high court of Punjab could hear a petition against appointment of governor of another province. The chief justice adjourned hearing for a fortnight.

Barrister Jafree had contended in his petition that former chief justice Siddiqi was not qualified to be elected as a member of the National Assembly and as such could not be appointed governor. Moreover, he said the respondent governor had been facing serious health issues and was unable to resume his responsibilities.

He pleaded that the appointment of Mr Siddiqi be set aside and the federal government be directed to appoint a new governor in accordance with the Constitution.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2016