The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) carried out a major enforcement operation against several well-known food chains near the Sukheke Interchange on the M-2 Motorway, inspecting five outlets, including KFC and Hardee’s.
The operation resulted in the sealing of four restaurants and the imposition of fines totaling Rs35 million.
According to the PFA, more than 40 kilograms of substandard and prohibited food items were destroyed during the operation.
The inspection was conducted at Sukheke Interchange in Hafizabad under the supervision of Punjab Chief Minister’s Special Assistant for Food Safety Salma Butt and PFA Director General Raja Mansoor Ahmed.
PFA officials said four outlets operated by nationally recognized food chains were sealed for poor hygiene conditions and failure to comply with operational food safety standards. Combined penalties of Rs35 million were imposed on the outlets for multiple violations.
During the inspections, food safety teams confiscated and destroyed substandard, expired and prohibited food ingredients on the spot. Authorities reported that freezers and dishwashing areas at several outlets were found to be in an unhygienic condition, with foul-smelling stagnant water and inadequate sanitation arrangements.
Salma Butt said inspection teams also found that mandatory supply records, product return records and other legally required documentation were unavailable at several outlets. In addition, inspectors observed significant pest infestations, while food items were found stored directly on the floor.
She added that some bakery products did not carry manufacturing or expiry dates, while open drains and foul-smelling surroundings were found near several outlets, constituting violations of food safety regulations.
Butt said the Punjab Food Authority continues to conduct province-wide operations to eliminate food adulteration and fraud, with strict monitoring of every stage of the food supply chain, from production to distribution.
She added that, on the instructions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the authority will continue to enforce a zero-tolerance policy against food adulteration and deception, and that substandard or expired food products will not be allowed to reach consumers.
