On the directions of Punjab Food Minister Bilal Yasin, the Food Department conducted a major crackdown to check the quality of flour and wheat across the province. According to a spokesman for the department, to ensure supply of quality flour to people, the Food Department checked 561 points across the province and took flour samples. Food Minister Bilal Yasin said that during checking, Rs. 785,000 fine was imposed on those selling substandard flour and warning notices were issued to 121 people in different districts over presence of substandard flour. The Food Department checked 113 places in Lahore division, 47 places in Gujranwala division and 53 places in Faisalabad division.
Flour samples were collected from 63 locations in Rawalpindi division, 41 locations in Gujarat, 52 locations in Sargodha and 45 locations in Multan division. Similarly, 89 samples were collected from Bahawalpur division, 31 from Dera Ghazi Khan and 27 from Sahiwal division and sent to the laboratories for analysis. Food Minister Bilal Yasin said they were following a zero tolerance policy against food adulterators. He said that ensuring supply of affordable and quality flour to the people is the top priority of the Punjab government.
He directed that all officials of the food department should remain in the field and the quality of wheat and flour should be closely monitored throughout Punjab.
