KARACHI – In a significant move to improve transparency and ease operational hurdles for industrial stakeholders, the Director General of the Sindh Food Authority (SFA), Asif Jan Siddiqui, announced that SFA teams will now issue prior notices before visiting any industrial units. The decision, he said, aims to end the practice of unannounced inspections and foster a more cooperative regulatory environment.
Speaking during a meeting with members of the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), Siddiqui emphasized that no inspection teams will be allowed to visit any industry without prior notice. He further revealed that under the Sindh government's "Ease of Doing Business" initiative, the licensing process would soon be made fully online to streamline operations and minimize bureaucratic delays.
The meeting was attended by a large number of KATI members, including President Junaid Naqi, Deputy Patron-in-Chief Zubair Chhaya, Senior Vice President Ejaz Sheikh, Vice President Syed Tariq Hussain, Standing Committee Chairman Umerson, Former President Rashid Siddiqui, and SFA representatives including Deputy Director Asad Abro, Agha Shafqat, Danish Arshad, and Zunaira Shahid.
DG Siddiqui announced that a dedicated focal person from the SFA will be stationed at KATI to assist industries in the Korangi Industrial Zone with registration and regulatory issues. He also highlighted the Authority’s plans to conduct regular training sessions for industrial personnel to address regulatory challenges and promote food safety compliance.
KATI President Junaid Naqi and Deputy Patron-in-Chief Zubair Chhaya present a shield to Sindh Food Authority DG Asif Jan Siddiqui, Ijaz Sheikh, Syed Tariq Hussain, Rashid Siddiqui, Omarson, Farooq Afzal, Salman Sabri, Asad Abro are also present.
In a notable initiative, industries that voluntarily test their products and meet quality benchmarks will receive a "Green Thumbs-Up" certification, which will be publicly promoted to raise consumer awareness about high-quality local products. “Our goal is not to penalize, but to improve industry standards,” Siddiqui said. “If quality can be enhanced through dialogue and cooperation, there is no need for heavy fines.”
Siddiqui added that efforts are underway to establish state-of-the-art laboratories with new equipment to conduct international-standard testing, and that penalty structures will be revised in consultation with industry stakeholders.
Earlier, KATI President Junaid Naqi voiced concerns over frequent and abrupt transfers of SFA leadership, which he said disrupt policy continuity. He urged the provincial government to appoint DGs for longer tenures to ensure consistent progress and regulatory clarity.
Naqi also raised concerns about the licensing process, unannounced raids, and excessive penalties, calling for a joint action plan to address these issues. He criticized SFA officers for conducting visits during non-business hours and holidays, causing operational disruptions.
He stressed the need to improve government laboratory standards and accused some SFA teams of levying unjustified fines during monthly visits. “This has increased operational difficulties for industries,” Naqi stated, calling for a restriction on the frequency of inspections.
Zubair Chhaya, Deputy Patron-in-Chief of KATI, remarked that regulatory bodies must also act as educators. “Awareness should come before enforcement. Heavy fines hurt industries that are already maintaining export-grade quality,” he said.
Chhaya alleged that some SFA officials harass factory owners, behave inappropriately during inspections, and demand bribes under the threat of factory closures. He emphasized that producing counterfeit products is a far graver offense and demanded focus on curbing such practices.
In conclusion, Umerson, Chairman of KATI’s Standing Committee, echoed the call for reasonable penalties and regular monthly meetings with the SFA to resolve industry concerns in a timely manner. He also called for proper training for SFA staff in halal food standards and food safety regulations to elevate Pakistan’s food industry to global standards.
