PM Shehbaz, CM Maryam Inaugurate Punjab's PAFDA to Overhaul Food, Drug and Agriculture Oversight
The AI-enabled authority opens with core lab capacity and staffing as Punjab moves to scale equipment and forensic reach to lift safety standards and export credibility.
Overview
- Officials said a long-idle building was transformed into a modern, IT-led laboratory that the prime minister expects to serve the whole country and evolve into a regional center of excellence.
- The authority’s remit covers testing of food, medicines, cosmetics, fertilisers, pesticides, soil, biomedical devices, alternative and biological medicines, orthopaedic implants and animal feed.
- Phase-I operations include 142 high-tech machines, with 565 additional instruments planned and investments exceeding Rs 5 billion to expand capacity in the coming months.
- Punjab will expand Punjab Forensic Science Agency satellite crime scene units from 8 to 38 districts to strengthen evidence-based justice alongside the new regulatory infrastructure.
- PAFDA employs 232 scientists—nearly 70% women—with hostel accommodation for female staff, and has established linkages with the US Food Safety and Inspection Service, GAIN and UK-based CABNI.