Punjab Food Authority has banned bottled water from three companies that failed to meet the quality standards. Shockingly, the banned products belong to renowned brands.
PFA has also told that they have collected samples from several private and government hospitals and are awaiting the results. Samples from Water and Sanitation Agency have also been collected.
Banned Companies
The Authority banned bottled water products from the following companies:
- Aquafina,
- Kinley,
- Springley
Aquafine’s inclusion is rather surprising one. According to previous survey it was the only drink labelled fit for use by Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA).
All Mineral Waters in Pakistan Except One Are Unsafe
PFA surveyed Lahore and collected samples from across the city. The samples were then sent to Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research for testing. Samples from a total of 14 companies were collected and tested.
Companies Included in Testing
Following companies went through the testing phase by PFA;
- Aquafina
- Sufi
- Kinley
- Aqua Safe
- Blu Water
- Sparkle
- Kinz
- Naimat
- Bottle Water
- Pure Drinking Water
- Nestle Pure Life
- Murree Sparkletts
- Zam Zam
- Springley
It is indeed bewildering and shocking that not a single one of these companies met the criteria of being labeled as ‘mineral water’.
Out of these 14 only 11 passed the test to be labeled as ‘Plain or Safe water.’
It is evident that companies are misleading the public by using the term ‘mineral water’ for their branding despite only being plain or safe water. To counter that, PFA has advised the respective companies to make the necessary changes.
Apart from the 11 companies, three were banned from producing and supplying water. According to the tests, hazardous material, including germs and chemicals harmful to human health, were found in the water samples taken from these companies.
PFA immediately banned these companies to stop their production and call back their stock that is already in the market.
Instead of acknowledging the decision and taking measures to provide safe water, the companies’ representatives approached PFA to allow them to resume production. The representatives appealed to DG PFA and asked him to re-test the water samples.
Noor ul Amin Mengal, DG PFA, however, told them that they cannot continue production. He further directed the companies to get clearance certificate before selling the current batches in line.
Director General PFA further informed the representatives that they have the right to appeal. Upon appeal, samples will be re-tested from government and private laboratories.
If companies pass the quality standards, they will be allowed to resume production. If they fail the test again, this time their production will be stopped and their premises will also be sealed.
BC Aquafina PEPSI aur Kinley CocaCola ke brands hyn. Agar yeh bhi safe water nahin de saktay toh sharam se doob maryn. Dhood ke bhao paani bech rahay hyn aur quality dekho.
They are giving ‘safe water’ while branding the product ‘mineral water’. That’s why they were banned, and advised to make necessary changes.
The difference between both waters will be clear to the person who has consumed ‘mineral’ water in the past.
No sir, that’s not the case here. It was case before but then these companies made the changes. This time it’s not safe to drink, as the article clearly says, “According to the tests, hazardous material, including germs and chemicals harmful to human health, were found in the water samples taken from these companies.”
Oh yes you’re right. I mis read at all the companies as that.
Thanks for the correction.
Then why their “Safe water” is banned? Read again.
You will definitely have the notification or any copy of this order? Please share with us :)
And when I said that? I am just refering to the above article.
I agree with you. I mean if the companies are banned and still they are splaying water in the country then i will love to ask admin THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN BAN? No my friend their is nothing like this on ground.
To Pepsi or CocaCola kon se safe hay, Tezaabb hy pura
toilet cleaners are being used as soft drink
I wonder how can brands like Naimat, Zam Zam and sparkle maintain more quality than Pepsi and Coke.
hahahahaha. same question in my mind.
may be they use clean water
Is there anything remaining :-P
I hope ganjas are not planing to introduce their own brand like olper
Idiotic comment
Olpers engro foods ka hai
Ganjas are owner of Anhar Milk which is also declared unsafe by PCSIR.
Sajjad, Truly idiot and blind. You have dirty political mind where only Nawaz is shaming you. you are fit for the stuff of pen di siri.
“It is evident that companies are misleading the public by using the term ‘mineral water’ for their branding despite only being plain or safe water.”
Yet you wrote,
Punjab Food Authority Bans Sale of Popular “MINERAL WATER” Brands..
Kindly share the source of this news??
Seriously! I mean 84% Pakistanis lack access to safe drinking water. tap water cant be used as drinking water. We have been using springley from last two years. Atleast, its smells fresh, taste is good and we can see what we are drinking. We can see “minerals” floating over the tap water given by the Govt in Punjab.
People use brands because they promise the best quality and international standers. What do you think what is the procedure to make a tap water purify? I am satisfy with my current water brand. Please verify the source of news before publishing.
Come On Man…PFA is now trying to blackmail the big guns of the industry. A man event can’t open a shop without govt approvals. These brands have certifications and passed 214 quality tests by the Govt to get approved. I feel there is something fishy in this new. Please confirm the news before publishing.
Lol. Who did those 214 tests in Pakistan?
This can’t be true… I am even drinking it right now.
You are drinking so thats why it is not true. :/
I can’t see any comment stating I have been using Springley for a while and never had any issues…
Fake new.. I didnt see anything like this on TV. Please confirm the news first.
Will PIA also ban aquafina on its flights now?
It’s surprising! This can’t happen. I am using springley from past 6 months and I am totally satisfied with it.
Your immune system is perfect
Obviously dude.
PFA be like: Marzi hai bhai.
So what? I am sharing my experience bro!
Hmmm….acha hai.
I just got the springley delivery today and we spoke to the company they are saying everything is fine.
Everyone says this quote about himself. Same goes to the companies
So what else you expect from them? Should they say “nothing is fine. We are going to be banned. But please keep buying our water. Hamare chotay chotay bachay hain”
So what you want from us to shift from the mineral water to tap water?? Have you heard the PFA news regarding restaurants? what happens after that no one cares. This is the reality. We believe on our experience not on fake news.
Sorry but that was not an experience that was something said to you by an employee of a company.
well, I think we should trust on institutes like PFA. Our “experiences” are not Chemical Labs. If they were doing something wrong they would clear those big companies.
Pro PK, for GOD Sake, always provide the source of your made up stories!
All you said seems a copy paste and you are not good at it either!
Bull****
Not surprising about Kinley though. They had been caught selling tab water in 2004 by BBC. Spokesperson had admitted that tap water was used with purifying mambo jumbo
Although article seems interesting but not
informative to share with others as you did not tell which 3 companies out of
14 got clearance to tag their water as plain drinking water and not mineral
water , which 11 companies are banned or
not fit .
This acritical will be useless if you will
not highlight good and bad separately .
You did not conclude results, same things I
found in article found on Daily Milk
If you are afraid to mention then please do
not publish such article to get voice in town but no utility at all .
what is the source of this news as it is no where in media ? just googled it and i was only able to find this news on propakistani and no where else.. hmm..
The nestle factory in I 9 industrial area in Islamabad.. had a well drilled underground inside… taking the same water of the industrial area( just from a deeper well ) and selling in big plastic fillers which are also not very clean…… its all ways to make money… its the job of the Govt to provide clean water trough the Govt systems….Do ppl actually think that they will get water from some mountain sources .. Lolz
in November 2017, as per the propk post, the only safe drinking water was ‘ AquaFina’ and now in January, it is the worst of all.
is this info available on PFA website? any links to verify