MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Food Authority has once again called on all aspiring food and dairy business operators to obtain the necessary licences before launching operations, as part of its broader efforts to ensure food safety and public health. In a statement issued on Friday, the AJK Food Department director, Abdul Hameed Kiani, who also serves as ex-officio secretary of the AJK Food Authority, asserted that the sale of food and dairy items was now strictly regulated. “We are conducting detailed inspections, and only allowing food businesses to operate once their products have been verified by the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) or another accredited laboratory,” he said. He noted that since the AJK Food Authority initiated its crackdown on adulterated food, there had been a marked improvement in the overall quality of dairy and food products, resulting in fewer reports of food-borne illnesses. “Though some unscrupulous elements attempt to violate the law, our teams, along with officials from local civic bodies, are maintaining strict vigilance,” Mr Kiani said, adding that in Mirpur division alone, 29 dairy shops were sealed the other day, and 620 litres of adulterated milk disposed of. Citing a ruling by the AJK Supreme Court in the case of ‘Shahid Zaman vs AJK Government’, Mr Kiani explained that individuals entering the dairy business were now required to submit a Rs500,000 surety bond, attested by a judicial magistrate. “If a shop is caught selling adulterated milk after an initial warning, the surety bond will be confiscated, and the shop will be permanently sealed,” he said. He maintained that the apex court’s ruling aligned with national food safety regulations and had set a vital precedent for safeguarding public health in Azad Kashmir. “The strict enforcement of this judgement has created a strong deterrent across the state,” he said. Looking ahead, Mr Kiani revealed that the AJK Food Authority was also planning to expand its inspections to include bakeries and confectioneries in the coming months to ensure all food products meet the necessary safety standards.