LAHORE: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has taken a significant step towards ensuring the purity and safety of meat products in the province by establishing a dedicated meat safety task force.

“The task force is a critical step towards ensuring that the meat consumed by the residents of Punjab is safe, wholesome, and of the highest quality,” said a spokesperson from the PFA.

“Our team, consisting of veterinary doctors, will conduct regular inspections and audits of all meat vendors, slaughterhouses and processing units.”

The task force will also be responsible for enforcing strict adherence to hygiene standards and protocols. Any establishment found violating these norms will face severe penalties, including fines and closure.

Punjab Food Minister Bilal Yasin inaugurated task force on Thursday. PFA Director General Asim Javaid, additional director generals and other officials were also present.

Mr Yasin told the media the task force would conduct detailed checks on the meat supplied in all districts of the province, including Lahore.

“Meat safety teams will also carry out inspection of slaughterhouses, frozen meat units, meat shops, and meat processing units on a daily basis without any discrimination,” he said.

The force will check the meat supplied at the entry points and meat markets.

A complete record of traceability of meat coming from poultry farms and slaughterhouses will also be compiled, and strict checking of entry points will be ensured in the morning hours.

He said steps were being taken to reduce the chicken price.

He said the government was planning to ban the export of chicks so that the prices of chicken come down within the country.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2024