Minister Zahir Shah Toru Reviews Food Safety Progress

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Food, Zahir Shah Toru, recently chaired a meeting to review the performance and progress of the Food Safety and Halal Food Authority. The focus of the meeting was to ensure the availability of high-quality and adulteration-free food products in the markets for the citizens. Minister Zahir Shah stressed the importance of taking necessary measures to achieve this goal.

He highlighted the government's efforts to strengthen the capacity of the Food Safety and Halal Food Authority, mentioning the operation of seven mobile food testing laboratories in the field. Additionally, plans are underway to inaugurate five more mobile labs and a state-of-the-art lab soon. The Director General of the Food Authority, Wasif Saeed, provided updates on ongoing projects, including the final stages of the state-of-the-art lab and the procurement of additional mobile food testing labs for on-site testing.

The Food Authority is actively working on expanding its reach, with food safety teams operating in 21 districts and plans to include six more districts, including merged districts. Efforts are also being made to raise public awareness about harmful food items and promote balanced diets through the nutrition wing. Moreover, the Authority is focusing on standardizing food businesses for halal certification and introducing a star rating system for restaurants, milk shops, and meat shops.

Minister Zahir Shah emphasized the importance of timely project completion and transparency in operations. He reassured the public of the government's commitment to ensuring access to quality food for all citizens by utilizing all available resources effectively.