LAHORE: A Supreme Court bench on Thursday sought a comprehensive report from the Punjab government on sale of substandard milk and mineral water, and use of steroid injections to boost milk production of buffaloes and for quick growth of poultry.

The bench comprising senior puisne judge Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and Justice Iqbal Hameedur Rehman was hearing a petition filed by Barrister Zafarullah Khan of Watan Party.

The lawyer alleged that not only loose milk but the packed milk being consumed by citizens also was adulterated with chemicals including detergent powder. He said the use of contaminated and substandard milk had been causing hepatitis C and other diseases. He further said there was not a single laboratory in Pakistan that had the capability to gauge contamination of chemicals in milk and water.

The bench expressed serious concern over the lawyer’s submissions and sought a detailed report from the government on the matter within two weeks. The bench also directed the Advocate General Punjab to produce record of a petition pending with the Lahore High Court for the last eight years against sale of substandard mineral water.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2016