ISLAMABAD, Nov 6 (INP) Chairman Pakistan Vanaspati Mills Association, Atif Ikram Thursday said that the government has miserably failed to control production of substandard ghee/cooking oil while the sale of low quality ghee/cooking oil has been on raise in the country.
He expressed concern over the open sale of substandard ghee and oil in the country while the concerned authorities have turned a blind eye towards the hazardous to health issue.
Atif said that substandard and contaminated products are rampantly sold and consumed in the country as there is no national body or legislation on food safety.
Chairman PVMA said the government authorities have failed to ensure quality of oil through proper checking system.
PVMA requested the government to ensure selling of standard oil in the country so as to save consumers from exploitation.
According to laws and guidelines, it is mandatory on the government of Pakistan that all cooking oils must be registered with PSQCA. This is not the only case, majority of cooking oils are not registered with PSQCA, yet carry the PSQCA quality assurance.
He said that “This is a gross violation of laws, but no action is being taken by the concerned authorities and the consumers are being blatantly cheated and poisoned by substandard and adulterated oil and ghee”.
This is due to the lack of Consumer Protection Laws, the lack of political will to enforce existing Food and Drug Laws and because the government does not attach any importance to quality and standards, Atif stated.
This has been confirmed by the Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) that production of substandard ghee/cooking oil is on the rise, he said.
He demanded concerned authorities to take stern action against the ghee mills that were producing and selling low quality products.
Atif stated that unless the government takes the issue of consumer protection seriously, people in Pakistan would continue to be cheated and poisoned by substandard and counterfeit products.
