Cleaning & hygiene not priority in Islamabad's food outlets

According to a survey carried out by Pakistan's DailyTimes, the number of eateries in Islamabad has risen rapidly over the past couple of years to cater for the fact that more people - particularly office workers - are eating out. And although prices and service charges have risen as a result, the eateries have not put any of their extra takings into improving hygiene standards, which appear to be falling short of acceptable levels.

The survey revealed that in hotels in F-8 Markaz, most of the kitchens were thought to be dirty and unhygienic, with dishes and other utensils not cleaned properly and water stored and served incorrectly, raising the risk of diseases. It also revealed that cleanliness was the worst at the Chappar hotels; crockery and glasses were often cracked and were washed out in the open.

They quoted one hotel owner as saying that cooks and staff of almost all hotels were illiterate, so they were least bothered about hygiene issues. Furthermore, an official from the Traders' Action Committee is reported to have criticised the Capital Development Authority for not implementing laws to maintain standards and claiming that CDA officials take bribes from shops and hotel and to turn a blind eye to any problem areas. He said that the only hotels which are fined for hygiene breaches are those that don't pay bribes.

10th April 2008