LAHORE, Nov 19: Over 15,000 food adulteration cases presented in the courts after Sept 30, 2002, are threatened with dismissal on technical grounds on account of a clarification sought by the provincial government in respect of the legality of extension in service allowed to the City District Government public analyst by the district Nazim.

The government has sought a clarification in respect of the legality of the previous extension on receipt of an application for further extension from the public analyst who continues to discharge his duties even after the expiry of the two-year extension on Sept 30 this year.

The district Nazim had granted a two-year extension in service to the public analyst two years ago after he failed to get it from the provincial government. The government has also asked the CDG to inform whether or not another person capable of being appointed as a public analyst is available.

Over 15,000 cases against food adulterators filed by the CDG food squad during the past two years will be liable to be dismissed on technical grounds in case of extension in service to the public analyst being held unlawful as the legal requirement of the same having been signed by the public analyst would not be considered to have been met.