ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Standing Committee on Science and Technology Chairman Tariq Bashir Cheema has decided to form a sub-committee to introduce a bill for establishing an authority to ensure supply of Halal food in the market.
The proposal of Ministry of Science and Technology was discussed during a meeting. The bill will be called ‘The Pakistan Halal Authority Bill 2015’.
On February 23, a senior government official informed the standing committee that a number of imported packed food items being sold in the markets contained ‘Haram’ ingredients.
Ministry of Science and Technology Additional Secretary Mian Ijaz also presented a list of 19 imported food items which were found containing ‘Haram’ ingredients.
The official said that Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) and other related organisations have been provided services with regard to setting of standards, accreditation of testing labs to the federal and provincial regulatory authorities. Currently 78 items, including 37 food or edible items, were covered under the Compulsory Certification Marks Scheme announced by the PSQCA, he added.
