Special Assistant to the Chief Minister (SACM) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Food, Dr Muhammad Israr Khan, has declared that the provincial government's foremost priority is to provide safe and quality food to all citizens. He made these remarks while chairing a review meeting on the progress of ongoing projects of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority.
Key Reforms Under Good Governance Initiative
Dr Israr emphasized that under the Good Governance Initiative, the Food Authority has successfully completed several major reform and digitalization projects. These initiatives aim to strengthen food safety standards and improve public services. The meeting was attended by Director General Kashif Iqbal Jilani, Director Administration Amir Hassan, Director Operations Muhammad Yousaf, Director Technical Dr Abdul Sattar, Director Finance Zahir Mahmood, and other senior officials.
Open Kitchen Policy and Digital Complaint System
The SACM announced that the Food Authority has finalized landmark initiatives, including the introduction of an Open Kitchen Policy for restaurants and hotels to promote transparency and consumer confidence. Public food-related complaints will now be integrated with the provincial government’s central grievance redressal platform, the “Ikhtiyar Awam App.” Furthermore, the registration, licensing, and renewal processes for food businesses have been fully digitized. These initiatives are expected to be formally launched in the near future.
Strengthening Consumer Trust
Dr Israr stated that the new measures will ensure the availability of safe and quality food while strengthening consumers’ trust in restaurants, hotels, and other food businesses. The digital complaint management system will enable timely receipt of public complaints and feedback, allowing food safety teams to take prompt and effective action against violations.
E-Licensing System to Curb Corruption
The E-Licensing System will enhance transparency, reduce the possibility of corruption, and provide greater convenience to food business operators by eliminating unnecessary visits to government offices. Director General Kashif Iqbal briefed the meeting on various ongoing initiatives, including the Open Kitchen Policy, registration and training of food street vendors, migration of public complaints to the Ikhtiyar Awam App, star rating and ranking of hotels and restaurants, digitization of administrative operations, and large-scale vial testing campaigns for milk, water, and cooking oil/ghee.
Future Strategies for Food Safety
The meeting also discussed proposals and future strategies to further strengthen the food safety system, improve public service delivery, and ensure the provision of quality food across the province.
