Eleven members of a family in Khichiwala, Fort Abbas, were hospitalised after reportedly falling ill following the consumption of milk allegedly brought home from a government school participating in the CM Punjab School Milk Programme.
The incident has prompted concerns about the safety of milk distributed under the government initiative. However, education officials have denied reports of substandard milk, saying their initial inquiry did not identify any quality issues.
The exact cause of the family’s illness remains unconfirmed, and no laboratory findings have been provided to establish whether the milk was contaminated.
Family Reports Illness After Drinking School Milk
According to a report from Khichiwala police, 11 members of the same family became ill after consuming the milk. Those affected included children, women and elderly people.
Rescue 1122 initially reported that seven people required medical assistance. Police subsequently confirmed that the number of affected family members had risen to 11.
Abdul Sattar, a member of the family, described the incident in a video shared on social media. He alleged that his daughter had brought milk home from Government Girls Primary School in village 186/7-R.
According to Sattar, the family used the milk to prepare tea. Several relatives reportedly developed health problems after drinking it.
The allegations have raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the incident. However, the reported sequence of events does not, by itself, establish that the milk caused the illness.
Family Calls for Laboratory Testing
The affected family has called on the authorities to investigate the incident and arrange laboratory testing of the milk.
Family members have alleged that education and health officials had not contacted them to organise the tests. They want the relevant authorities to determine whether the milk was safe for consumption.
Independent testing could help establish whether contamination or another quality issue was involved. Details of any laboratory examination or confirmed medical findings were not available in the information provided about the incident.
Until test results or other conclusive evidence become available, the cause of the reported illness remains uncertain.
Education Officials Deny Milk Quality Problems
The district education officer in Fort Abbas submitted a report responding to the allegations.
According to the report, 132 out of 155 students at the school consumed milk distributed under the programme. None of those students reportedly complained of illness after drinking it.
Chief Executive Officer (Education) Dr Attaur Rehman also addressed the matter. He said the initial official inquiry found no evidence of a milk quality problem.
The education department further stated that the milk cartons held by the family carried an expiry date of January 12, 2027.
However, an expiry date and reports from other students do not independently establish the condition of the specific milk consumed by the family. Laboratory analysis would be needed to assess the product for possible contamination.
What Is the CM Punjab School Milk Programme?
The Punjab government’s School Meal Programme aims to improve children’s nutrition and support their health, learning and school attendance by providing milk and other nutritional items to students in selected government schools.
According to the Punjab Education Sector Reform Programme, the initiative is intended to help address nutritional deficiencies and improve educational outcomes among primary schoolchildren. https://pesrp.edu.pk/smp
The incident in Khichiwala highlights the importance of transparent complaint handling, appropriate food safety checks and timely communication with affected families.
Investigation Needed to Establish the Cause
The hospitalisation of 11 family members in Fort Abbas has raised concerns that warrant further examination. The family’s allegations and the education department’s response present differing accounts of the incident.
At present, there is no confirmed evidence in the available information establishing that milk distributed through the government programme caused the illness.
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Laboratory results, medical findings and a documented investigation could help clarify what happened. Until such evidence is available, claims of contaminated milk should be treated as allegations rather than established facts.
