A man in Bahawalnagar, Punjab, has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison for selling meat from dead and diseased chickens to fast food outlets. The verdict was delivered by Senior Civil Judge Muhammad Zia Khan, who also imposed a fine of Rs1 million on the convict, Shahzad Faisal.
According to the Punjab Food Authority (PFA), Faisal was found guilty of supplying unsafe chicken meat to various fast food restaurants in the city. The court further ruled that if he fails to pay the fine, he will serve an additional 14 months in prison.
The PFA emphasized that it will continue strict action against those involved in selling unhygienic or unsafe food products across Punjab. Officials stated that such practices not only violate food safety laws but also pose serious risks to public health.
Earlier this month, on October 17, the PFA Rawalpindi team conducted operations targeting unhygienic poultry suppliers. During the raids, authorities seized and destroyed 500 kilograms of meat from dead and diseased chickens. Acting on a tip-off, the team intercepted a vehicle in Bagh Sardaran carrying 400 kilograms of dead poultry, which was immediately disposed of. The driver was unable to produce valid documentation for the meat.
In another operation at a chicken shop in Choa Saidan, the PFA confiscated 100 kilograms of stale and substandard meat. The shop owner was fined Rs50,000, and one suspect was taken into custody. A case was also registered against the vehicle owner transporting the poultry.
A PFA spokesperson praised the enforcement teams for preventing contaminated meat from reaching the public and urged citizens to report any cases of unhygienic food handling to the PFA Helpline 1223.
These actions highlight the Punjab Food Authority’s ongoing commitment to ensuring food safety and protecting consumers from health hazards caused by dead and diseased chickens being sold illegally.
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