ISLAMABAD: The city managers are all set to set up a first-ever food laboratory in Islamabad which will also have four mobile labs.

Sources said recently Prime Minister Imran Khan while chairing a price control committee meeting directed Chief Commissioner and CDA Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed to establish the food laboratory to have a proper quality check on food items, including meat.

Currently, the capital administration gets quality of food items checked from a laboratory in Rawalpindi.

“Setting up a lab is very essential for Islamabad to ensure quality food being supplied and sold in the capital,” said the chief commissioner while talking to Dawn.

He said the lab would be set up by the CDA in collaboration with the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration. According to a press release issued by the CDA, a meeting was held in the office of the CDA chairman on Thursday which was attended by Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat, officials from the local government and other departments to discuss the setting up of the food laboratory.

PC-I worth Rs300 million prepared in collaboration with ICT administration

The meeting was told that the ICT administration had prepared PC-I worth Rs300 million for the establishment of the laboratory on four kanals.

The CDA chairman directed the officers concerned to convene a meeting of the civic agency’s Development Working Party (DWP) next week for considering the project.

“The government has also directed to ensure quality of food in the capital. The establishment of a lab was an essentially requirement,” the press release said.

Sources said once set up the laboratory would function under the supervision of the ICT food department until a proper Food Authority is established. The proposed food authority is in the legislation phase and the officials are hopeful that parliament would soon enact a law for its establishment.

Last year, the Senate Standing Committee on Interior had approved the Islamabad Pure Food Authority Bill 2019 moved by Senator Sajjad Hussain Turi to set up the first-ever food authority in Islamabad.

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior last year had also passed a similar bill moved by MNA Ali Nawaz Awan.

The bill, moved by Senator Turi, said that safe, secure and hygienic food is the basic right of every citizen and every state is duty bound to ensure the availability of safe and hygienic food to its citizens.

“Safe and hygienic food is the first line of defence against diseases. In Pakistan this is one of the most regrettable facts that our food lacks hygienic qualities and adulterated by people who are manufacturing, preparing or selling food items for their illegal gains. It is again one of the most regrettable facts that our existing legal regime is too weak to control food adulteration and make sure the availability of hygienic food to the residents of Islamabad,” according to the bill’s objectives.

The bill had sought establishment of a food authority in the capital and appointment of officials.

The bill also provided a “comprehensive mechanism for regulating and managing food items” as well as punishments for those involved in the business of adulterated and unhygienic food.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2020