20/09/2008 (Daily Times), Karachi - No one can be allowed to put the people’s health at risk by distributing hazardous raw or refined food, especially edible oil and ghee. Sindh Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed has said that it is his department’s duty to look after the people’s interests and take strict measures to ensure that consumers are offered food of the best quality.

The minister was talking at a press conference held at his office on Friday on the issue of the disputed and allegedly contaminated palm oil stock that has put the health department under tremendous public pressure for the last two months.

He said that a private ghee manufacturer had imported 1,000 metric tons of palm oil in two shipments in 1999. According to sources, the Pakistan Customs stored the consignment in two different containers. The second consignment of 100 tons was stored in a tank that was reportedly contaminated with some toxic chemical, while the first consignment of 900 tons was also stored in the same container later. Thus the entire stock of palm oil was contaminated with the chemical. Pakistan Customs sent samples for chemical examinations to the Pakistan Customs Central Laboratory, which reported the whole stock of palm oil was not fit for human use.

Ahmed said that the importer had approached the Pakistan Customs Appellate Tribunal seeking the release of the confiscated oil stock. Samples were then collected and sent to three labs, the Pakistan Customs Central Lab, PCSIR and Karachi University HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, to determine the actual oil category. PCSIR reported that the oil was not fit for human consumption on an ‘as is’ basis. The HEJ Research Institute reported that the oil could be used after it was refined. The tribunal then ordered that the oil may be used after being thoroughly refined.

Pakistan Customs moved the Sindh High Court (SHC) and later, the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP). Both the SHC and SCP maintained the verdict of the Pakistan Custom Appellate Tribunal. Later on, Pakistan Customs approached the Sindh health secretary through a letter on July 4, seeking his assistance to ascertain the quality of the confiscated palm oil.

“I was not satisfied with the reports and doubt whether the ghee that has been prepared from the disputed contaminated palm oil stock is fit for human consumption. As minister for health, it is my duty to ensure the people’s safety and ensure measures to dispel any fear. Therefore, I have once again constituted a committee,” said Ahmed.

The newly formed committee will look into the details and ensure if the 1000 metric tons of ghee are fit for human consumption. The committee consists of Sindh Deputy Secretary Health Dr Athar Hussein, Civil Hospital Karachi Additional Medical Superintendent Dr Hamid Manzoor and CDGK DO Quality Control Manzoor Sheikh.

Sindh Special Secretary Public Health Captain (Retd) Dr Abdul Majid told Daily Times that although a huge quantity of ghee manufactured from disputed palm oil ghee was ready to be released for sale after a tedious investigation, Ahmed has taken many steps and ordered that the ghee stock be sealed until he is fully assured that the ghee is absolutely fit for human consumption and will not create any adverse effect on human health.

The first shipment of 900 metric tons of palm oil was ‘RBD palm oil’, which is absolutely fit for human consumption while another shipment was ‘Sterin Palm Oil’, which is only meant for commercial use. Both brands of palm oil were stored together and were thus contaminated, said Majid.

Majid told Daily Times that the Sindh health secretary had then referred the case to the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) Executive District Officer (EDO) Health Dr A.D. Sanjnani to arrange for chemical analysis at the CDGK laboratory. However, the EDO regretted that he could not conduct any such analysis as he lacked the required facility and experts. The Sindh health secretary then constituted a committee on August 23, comprising Karachi University Department of Food Sciences and Technology Prof. Abid Hussein as a consultant, Sindh Government Chemico-Bacterial Laboratory Director Dr Fazal Elahi as chair and CDGK District Officer Quality Control Manzoor Sheikh and CDGK Lab Food section In-charge as members. Prof. Abid also declined any help due to prior engagements.

Elahi was then asked to carry out the chemical examination of palm oil in Majid’s presence and take the necessary steps to release the palm oil stock for the ghee-making process. The chemical examination commenced on August 29 and went on for two days. The stock was then released after the Karachi University HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry and Iffco Refinery cleared it. About 980 metric tons of ghee were manufactured from the 1000 metric tons of disputed palm oil. However, Pakistan Customs once again has sealed the processed ghee stock at the bonded warehouse at Iffco Refinery, added Majid.

The committee is expected to complete its investigations and when they are fully convinced that the ghee is safe, it will be released for human consumption, claimed Majid.