LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has granted approval for setting up a completely autonomous Punjab Agriculture Food and Drug Authority.

Addressing a meeting through a video link at the Civil Secretariat on Tuesday, Shahbaz said the authority was vital for provision of quality drugs, supply of best agri-medicines and fertilisers besides adulteration-free food to the masses.

According to a handout, he said the authority would help the government curb substandard and adulterated food, drugs, agri-medicines and sprays and it would be autonomous without any interference.

Shahbaz issued directions for the recruitment of new staff for the authority and special attention should be paid to its training. He sought a paperless system in the authority with the entire digital system. He said all-out resources would be made available for the important project.

The CM declared that after the establishment of the first modern drug testing laboratory in Lahore, drug testing labs in Multan, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur and Rawalpindi would also be upgraded. He asked the steering committee to complete the project of establishing the new authority and upgrade of labs in different cities expeditiously.

The additional chief secretary gave a briefing to the chief minister on setting up of the authority, its important features and the draft law. Provincial ministers Dr Farrukh Javed, Bilal Yasin, CM’s advisor on health Khawaja Salman Rafiq, Planning & Development chairman, and others attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2016