Pakistan: Halal Food Regulatory Body to be Constituted

Pakistan FlagISLAMABAD: The government has decided to push for urgent legislation to constitute Halal Food Regulatory Authority.

A federal minister informed the National Assembly that the bill for the proposed authority is ready and will be presented before the house for voting soon.

Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain was responding to the questions of his fellow lawmakers, regarding the recent banning of 19 packed food items.

Additional secretary, science and technology ministry, Mian Ijaz on February 23 presented a list of 19 items to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Science and Technology, which he claimed contained ‘haram’ ingredients.

The items, according to the ministry’s data, contain ingredients such as white and red wine, gelatine and E120 (animal-based food colour). Some items containing chicken have been placed on the list because of doubts regarding the slaughtering procedures.

”Since monitoring of food quality is a provincial subject, the issue of constituting a new authority has to be discussed at the Council of Common Interest level which is scheduled to meet within the month”.

Published in Dawn March 5th , 2015