ISLAMABAD: A senior government official stunned members of a National Assembly committee on Monday when he told them that most of imported packed food items being sold in the country contained Haram ingredients.
The Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Mian Ijaz, presented a list of 19 such items containing Haram ingredients.
He said the ministry had no mandate to stop sale of such products.
The products are: two brands of Chicken Tonight (imported from Holland), Bubblicious (UK), Chupa Bubble (Holland), Pascual Yogikids (Spain), three brands of Skittle Fruit (UK), Picnic Chicken (USA), Slima Soup (UK), Knorr Chicken Soup (France), Cup A Soup (UK), Tulip Chicken (Denmark), Rice Chicken Broccoli (USA), Pasta Chicken Broccoli (USA), Pasta Creamy Chicken (US), Heinz Dinner Chicken (England), Jell-O (US) and Pop Trats (USA).
NA committee presented a list of 19 products being sold in market
The items, according to the ministry’s data, contain ingredients like white and red wine, gelatine and E120 (animal-based food colour). Some of the food items containing chicken have been placed in the list due to “doubts” about the “slaughtering mechanism” since “stunning is prohibited” in Islam. Some other products have been placed in the list due to lack of “proper source or traceability to ascertain the Halal/Haram status”.
The members were told that the ministry intended to see establishment of the Pakistan Halal authority through an act of parliament to promote imports and exports and inter-provincial trade and commerce in Halal items and processes.
A draft of the bill seeking establishment of the authority has been forwarded to the cabinet and the Council of Common Interests for approval, after which the ministry will be in a position to ensure that edibles containing Haram ingredients are not sold in the country.
