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 restaurants. Senior Civil Judge Muhammad Zia Khan delivered the verdict, also imposing a fine of Rs1 million on the convict, Shahzad Faisal.
According to the Punjab Food Authority (PFA), Faisal supplied unsafe chicken meat to various fast food outlets in the city. The court ruled that if he fails to pay the fine, he will serve an additional 14 months in jail.
The PFA has reaffirmed its commitment to strict action against anyone involved in the sale of unhygienic or unsafe meat products across Punjab.
Earlier, on October 17, the PFA Rawalpindi team seized and destroyed 500 kilograms of dead and diseased chickens during operations against unhygienic poultry suppliers. Acting on a tip-off, officials intercepted a vehicle in Bagh Sardaran carrying 400 kilograms of dead chickens, which were immediately disposed of. The driver could not provide legal documentation for the poultry.
In another raid at a chicken shop in Choa Saidan, the PFA confiscated 100 kilograms of substandard meat and fined the shop owner Rs50,000 for storing stale chicken. One suspect was arrested, and a case was registered against the vehicle owner.
The PFA spokesperson said these timely operations prevented contaminated meat from reaching consumers and protected public health. He urged citizens to report any violations related to unhygienic poultry to the PFA Helpline 1223.