Better late than never. Following in the footsteps of 'dhabang' or brave lady Ayesha Mumtaz of Punjab Food Authority, Lahore, finally deputy commissioner, Islamabad, sprang into action against some prominent eateries for selling unhygienic foods. The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration Wednesday sealed some food outlets for selling unhygienic foods in the different parts of the city, while some restaurants were slapped with heavy penalties.
An official of ICT administration said that following the directives of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, the high ups of the district administration have constituted team that conducted raids and sealed some food outlets including Savour Food and Chai Khana.
The teams also sealed kitchens of Best Western Hotel on charges of operating kitchen under unhygienic condition and presence of substandard food items. The ICT team inspected a total of 51 food outlets including bakeries. "During the raids they sealed 17 food outlets and registered an FIR against them", he said, added that 37 people were also arrested and fine of worth Rs 140,000 imposed. He said that the ICT administration sealed some bakeries including Rahat bakery at Homak town for selling unhygienic food items.
During the raids, the officials imposed a fine of Rs 30,000 on Habibi restaurant, he said.
The official said that authorities have also summoned the health certificates of all kitchen staff employed by Savour Foods and other food outlets in the city. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on September 8, directed ICT administration to take against food outlets which are involved in selling of unhygienic food items in the footprints of the Punjab Food Authority. The minister issued directives to take action against all outlets, kiosks and five-star restaurants adding that performance-based classification of food outlets should be maintained.