ISLAMABAD, Sept 26: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) here on Friday issued notices to the ministries of health, food and agriculture, and interior, directing them to submit their detailed replies to a petition seeking check on food adulteration and sale of expired medicine.

Justice Syed Qalbe Hassan of the IHC directed the ministries to furnish detail replies till October 13, as the court heard a case filed by Kokab Iqbal advocate.

Mr Iqbal, in his petition, said adulteration of food items like red chillies, butter, milk and salt was continuing on massive scale, and was posing dangers to human health.

He also said the sale of expired medicines and injections was thriving in the markets.

“The government is taking no action against the people allegedly involved in such unlawful and immoral activities under Pure Food Act of 1964 and the Drug Act,” the petitioner added.

He said under Article 9 of the constitution, it was the responsibility of government organisations to safeguard the human health and provide them with necessities of life.

Meanwhile, the IHC registrar office admitted the writ petition of Raja Liaquat Ali, a resident of Mingora, who sought directions of the court to the government for lifting curfew in Swat and some of the tribal areas, and halt to air raids by American and NATO forces. The registrar office last Saturday rejected this petition after raising few objections.

Raja Liaquat Ali, through his legal counsel Syed Zahoor Ahmad Bukhari, filed the writ petition adopting the view that due to the curfew and missile attacks in these areas people had plunged into severe miseries.

“The residents of these areas do not have access to the necessary food items and basic amenities of life,” the petition said.

The petitioner has made Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureashi, Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, governor and chief minister of NWFP and US Ambassador Anne W. Patterson as respondent in his petition.