Regulatory bodies

Sindh Food Authority :

Sindh food Authority came into force under Sindh Food Authority ACT, 2016 having been passed by
provincial Assembly of Sindh on March 08th, 2017 and assented to by the Governor of Sindh on
April 08th , 2017 and published as an Act of the Legislature of Sindh.

The operations of Sindh Food Authority or the SFA are as under:

 Formulate standards, procedures, processes and guidelines in relation to any aspect of food
including food business, food labeling, food additive, and specify appropriate enforcement
systems;
 Specify procedures and guidelines for setting up and accreditation of food laboratories;
 Formulate method of sampling, analysis of samples and reporting of results;
 Specify licensing, prohibition orders, recall procedures, improvement notices or prosecution;
 Provide scientific advice and technical support to the Government in matters relating to food;
 Collect and analyze relevant scientific and technical data relating to food;
 Establish a system of network of food operators and consumers to facilitate food safety and
quality control;
 Organize training programs in food safety and standards;
 Promote general awareness as to food safety and standards;
 Levy fee for registration, licensing and other services;
 Certify food for export;
 Perform any other function as may be prescribed; and
 Do any other thing which is incidental to or necessary for the discharge of our functions
under the Sindh Food Authority Act.1

Regulations for new Entrants in the Food Business:

Licensing & Registration

Licensing of food trades businesses and premises.–

(1) every food operator shall, in relation to his food business premises, hold a valid license issued by
the Authority
(2) The food business premises for licensing purposes are categorized in accordance with their
manufacture or production variations as specified in following categories:
a) premises for the business of wholesale dealers in margarine, banaspati, fat spreads, animal fat
(halal), ghee, fish oil, edible oils, spices, confectionary, cereal products, soft drinks aerated water
and cold storages;
b) creameries, dairies, dairy farms, bakeries, catering, kitchen, event places, Hawkers, food paddlers
whatever moveable or immovable units, hotels, eating houses and other small scale food
manufacturing concerns;
c) premises for the manufacture or preparation of:
i. pasteurized /sterilized /UHT milk, milk powder, condensed and evaporated milk, cheese and any
other milk products;

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Sindh Food Authority , Official Website : https://sfa.gos.pk/
 ii. edible oils, margarine and Vanaspati;
iii. biscuits; iv. canned food v. non-alcoholic drinks and beverages;
vi. bottling factories;
vii. sugar factories; viii. cereal products; and
ix. natural mineral water/bottled drinking water
(1) All food operators involved in food business categorized under sub-regulation
(2) shall pay license fees specified in following against each such category.

License Fee for Certain Categories of Food Businesses

Licenses.–

Sindh Food Authority shall provide e-license to manufactures as per rules mentioned in this section. This
License will be valid for 5 years and shall be renewed each year. The procedure for e-license will be as
follows.

a) Manufacture will download mobile application and apply online for licenses

b) A message will be received by Food Safety officer, upon visiting the premises the food safety officer
will apprise the applicant about license fee to be deposited in prescribed bank.

c) Applicant is bound to maintain record such as copy of CNIC, site plan, medical certificates for
employees. d) Upon completion of all formalities, smart cards will be issued and posted to the
applicants.

(1) Any person who intends to use any place for the purpose for which a license is required, shall apply
in writing / electronic application (e-licensing) to the licensing authority concerned stating the purpose
for which the place is intended to be used and shall submit block plans in triplicate showing:

a) the actual area proposed to be used; and

b) the location at which various operations connected therewith shall be carried on.

c) Medical Certificate of the food handlers only.

(2) On receipt of an application and plans, the Government officer concerned, as the case may be, shall
inspect the said place and may recommend the issue of the requisite license form, as the case may be, if
the said place conforms to the requirements.

(3) A license may at any time be cancelled or suspended if any of the restrictions or conditions laid down
therein are infringed or evaded by the licensee, or if the said person is previously convicted of
infringement of any of the provisions of the these rules.

(4) When any license is cancelled or suspended or when the period for which it was granted has
expired, the former licensee shall, for purposes of the rules, be deemed to be without such license until
the order cancelling or suspending the license is revoked or the license is renewed.

6) Every license for purposes of the rules shall be displayed at a prominent place within the licensed
premises and shall be open to inspection by licensing Authority/ Food Safety Officers/ Assistant Food
Safety Officers or any person authorized by the Food Authority.\

(7) For purposes of these rules, any act or omission by an owner or occupier of a premises in respect of
which a license has been granted, or by the manager, agent, employee or other person engaged in, or
connected with, the trade or business carried on in such premises shall be deemed to be an act or
omission by the licensee.

(8) Any person whose application for a license has been rejected by a Food Authority may file an appeal
to the appellate forum on payment rupees one thousand as fee.
(9) The appellate forum, after making such enquiries as it deems necessary, may either reject the appeal
or direct the Licensing Authority to issue the license on such conditions and limitations as are necessary
or deemed fit.

(10) No application for the renewal of any license that has been cancelled shall be entertained until
after the lapse of a period of not less than three weeks from the date of cancellation.

(11) The Food Authority shall maintain a record, containing the name, addresses and other relevant
particulars of the licensees and applicants for licenses as well as of the concerned premises.

(12) Every license shall be renewed annually.

(13) The Sindh Food Authority shall contain particulars of the disposal of the applications, the grounds
of rejection, if any, annual renewal, cancellation or suspension or imposition of a penalty.

(14) Each Food establishment shall provide the particulars regarding the name, address, the nature and
the location of the business for which a license has been granted, cancelled or suspended to the
Licensing Authority of the area in which the premises is situated.

(15) No person shall be granted a license for a premise to operate a food manufacturing plant unless he
complies with the following conditions:

(a) the application is accompanied by existing plan showing the building and medical fitness certificate
for kitchen staff as prescribed under these rules; and

(b) the building for housing the plan followed as given in clause 8.5:

(16) If the articles of food are manufactured, stored or exhibited for sale at different premises situated
in more than one local area, separate applications, shall be made and separate licenses shall be issued in
respect of each such premises not falling within the same local area: Provided that the itinerant vendors
having no specified place of business may be licensed to conduct business within the jurisdiction of the
licensing authority.

(17) A license granted under these rules, unless suspended, withdrawn or cancelled earlier by the
Licensing Authority, shall continue to be in force up to one year from the date of issuence and shall be
renewable annually on application by the licensee to the Licensing Authority on payment of renewal fee
same as licensing fee.

(18) If a licensee fails to apply for renewal of license within thirty days of the date of expiry of the said
license, the license shall not be renewed unless the licensing Authority is satisfied that there was
sufficient cause for delay.

(19) An application for the grant of a license shall:

a) specify name and address of the applicant;

b) indicate the location, full particulars and address of the premises for which the license is required;
and

(21) An application for the renewal of a license shall specify:

a) the name of the licensee;

b) license number;

c) the location and full particulars of the licensed premises; and

d) the date up to which the license was valid.

(22) An application for the renewal of a license shall be subject to the conditions for the grant of license
under this rule, until the decision has been made on the renewal of license application, the existing
license shall be deemed as valid and an endorsement of renewal of license shall be made on the original
license.

(23) Before cancelling and/or suspending a food operator's license the Authority must:

(i) inform the food operator of the Authority's intention to cancel/suspend the food operator's license;

(ii) allow the food operator at least 14 days for an opportunity to explain why the license should not be
cancelled/suspended;

(iii) take into consideration the food operator's explanation before making the decision on
cancelling/suspending the license;

(iv) take into account the loss that the suspension/cancellation of the license the food operator and/or
the provincial economy may suffer before cancelling/suspending the license;

(v) Consider whether an alternate penal measure can achieve a better result than
suspending/cancelling;

(vi) not consider suspending/cancelling the license on the food operator's first three proven violations of
any provisions of the Act, rules and regulations, unless the violation is so severe that the Authority can
justify, after recording reasons in writing, that only suspension/cancellation of the license of the food
operator, and no other penal measures, is appropriate.

(24) An itinerant vendor granted a license under these rules shall carry a identity card issued by food
authority showing clearly the license number, the nature of articles for the sale of which the license has
been granted, his name and address and the name, address of the owner, if any, for whom he is
working. His containers of food and the vehicle shall also be similarly marked. The smart card shall be
renewed every year (valid for 5 years): Provided that the whole time employees of the companies shall
not be treated as itinerant vendors for the purpose of carrying a metallic badge on their arms or
obtaining separate licenses if an identity card containing particulars of the valid license is carried by
them.2

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Sindh Food Authority , Official Website : https://sfa.gos.pk/