LAHORE:
Two young sisters lost their lives while their brother remains in critical condition after allegedly consuming contaminated food from a restaurant in Lahore’s PIA Road area.
According to police, Muhammad Azeem, a resident of PIA Road, bought food for his family from a local eatery on August 16. Shortly after eating the meal, his three children Tahreem, aged six, Arha, aged four, and eight-year-old Hashir fell severely ill.
The children were rushed to Sheikh Zayed Hospital, where doctors confirmed they were suffering from serious food-related complications. Despite receiving medical treatment, both Tahreem and Arha could not survive and passed away on the nights of August 18 and 19, while their brother continues to fight for his life.
Following a complaint lodged by the children’s father, police registered a case at Sattokatla police station. Acting on the report, law enforcement officials detained the restaurant owner and seven members of his staff for questioning.
Investigators said food samples from the restaurant have been sent to a laboratory to establish the cause of the children’s illness. Authorities are examining whether expired ingredients or unhygienic practices were involved in the preparation of the food.
Model Town SP Ikhlaq Ullah Tarar told reporters that the investigation is being conducted from “all possible angles.” He added that police are working with forensic and health departments to determine whether the food contained toxins, harmful chemicals, or was contaminated due to poor storage.
The final charges against the suspects will depend on the laboratory findings, police officials said. The arrested men have been handed over to the investigation wing for further interrogation.
