An internal analysis released during official briefings shows the Punjab Food Authority is intensifying efforts to protect consumers by expanding meat safety oversight across the province. Based on daily averages of 258 inspections, the authority is projected to conduct more than 94,000 inspections a year at retail outlets, slaughter points and processing facilities, bringing a large share of the supply chain under regular supervision.
The enforcement data points to persistent compliance gaps: roughly 67,525 improvement notices are expected annually, meaning nearly 72 percent of inspected operations receive directives to correct hygiene, storage, handling or processing shortcomings. Officials emphasize that these notices are corrective measures designed to raise sector standards rather than immediate punitive action.
Financial penalties form part of the enforcement mix, with projections indicating about 9,855 fine cases yearly and total penalties nearing PKR 94.9 million. The average fine per violation is estimated at around PKR 9,630, applying pressure on repeat and serious offenders while encouraging compliance among operators.
Meat quality testing underpins the campaign. Inspectors are expected to examine more than 19.27 million kilograms of meat each year, and identify about 1.25 million kilograms as unsafe or unfit for human consumption — a discard rate of roughly 6.5 percent. Authorities argue that without such intervention, over a million kilograms of hazardous meat could have reached consumers.
For extreme breaches that pose immediate health risks, the authority relies on Emergency Protection Orders. Projections point to 365 such orders annually, leading to the immediate sealing of critically non-compliant facilities. These measures are reserved for situations where human health is directly threatened.
Officials highlight that despite the corrective actions, about 93.5 percent of inspected meat meets safety standards, which they present as evidence that sustained oversight and targeted enforcement can deliver measurable quality control outcomes. From a public health perspective, stopping 1.25 million kilograms of unsafe meat each year reduces the risk of foodborne illness and contamination-related outbreaks, easing potential burdens on healthcare services.
Regulators also frame the campaign as an investment in long-term industry resilience. While non-compliant businesses face fines approaching PKR 95 million annually, the focus on improvement notices, training, technology-aided inspections and stronger supply chain monitoring is intended to raise hygiene and handling standards across the meat sector and restore consumer confidence.
The authority says continued enforcement combined with industry engagement and modern inspection tools will further reduce violations and position Punjab as a leader in food safety regulation, with ongoing efforts aimed at protecting consumers while supporting systematic improvement of the meat industry.
