Punjab Food Authority Complaint: Call 1223, WhatsApp or Use the PFA App

To complain about adulterated food, a dirty restaurant or food poisoning in Punjab, call the Punjab Food Authority helpline 1223, which PFA says runs 24 hours. You can also send the complaint on WhatsApp to 0333 1017300, or lodge it in the official PFA app.

The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) is the provincial body that licenses food businesses and inspects them. Under section 39 of the Punjab Food Authority Act 2011, it can act "on information received from any source". A complaint from a customer counts.

We checked every complaint route on 1 October 2026. PFA's main website, pfa.gop.pk, showed a "scheduled maintenance" page all day. So the helpline and WhatsApp number below come from PFA's own complaint page as it was last published, and we confirmed the app and the online portal separately.

PFA complaint channels, and which one to use

Use the 1223 helpline for anything urgent, like food making people sick right now. Use WhatsApp or the PFA app when you want to send photos. The online portal needs a CNIC and mobile registration first, so it is slower for a one-time complaint.

The app's Google Play listing, last updated on 21 August 2026, names "internal and external complaints and feedback" among its services. The online portal at cell.pfa.gop.pk lists "Complaints / Feedback" too. When we opened it, it asked for a CNIC number, a mobile number and a verification code before anything else.

PFA's complaint page also points people to its Facebook, X and Instagram accounts. A public post may get attention, but it is a weaker record than a call or a WhatsApp message with a time stamp.

How to file a PFA complaint step by step

Collect the evidence first, then call or message PFA with the exact name and address of the place. Describe what you saw or ate, with the date and time. Ask for a complaint number and write it down.

1. Note the full name and address of the shop, restaurant or factory, with a nearby landmark.
2. Take clear photos or a short video of the problem: the food, the kitchen, the label or the expiry date.
3. Keep the receipt and the packaging. If you can, keep some of the food, sealed and cold.
4. Call 1223, or send everything on WhatsApp to 0333 1017300, or file in the PFA app.
5. Ask for a complaint or reference number, and save the date and time you complained.
6. If nobody responds, follow up with the PFA office for your district, using the same reference.

Keep your message short and factual. "Cockroaches in the kitchen of X restaurant, Y road, at 9 pm on 1 October, photos attached" gives an inspector something to act on. A long angry message with no address does not.

Evidence that makes a food complaint stick

A sample of the food is the strongest evidence, because the Act lets a Food Safety Officer take samples for testing. Next come the receipt, the packaging with its label and batch number, dated photos, and any medical record if someone fell ill.

Section 13 of the Act gives a Food Safety Officer power to take samples, seize food and seal premises. That is why the item itself matters more than your description of it. A lab result turns a complaint into a case.

Packaged food needs its label. Keep the wrapper with the brand, batch number and expiry date. Labelling and false advertising are separate offences under sections 25 and 26 of the Act.

For a restaurant, the receipt proves you ate there. Punjab now requires proper electronic bills at restaurants, so ask for one. The receipt rules for Punjab restaurants explain what a valid bill looks like.

Also check whether the place holds a PFA licence. PFA's licence verification page at cell.pfa.gop.pk checks a business licence, a food handler's training certificate or a medical screening certificate by its number. We opened it but did not test a real number. Every food business needs a PFA food licence under section 15.

What PFA can do after your complaint

Under section 39, PFA can register the offence, take the case to a Special Court, suspend or cancel the licence, fine the business up to Rs 1 million, or order unsafe food destroyed. It may also decide to take no action, recording its reasons.

A suspension lasts at most seven days at a time and ends after 30 days unless the licence is cancelled. The business must get a hearing first and can appeal a fine or cancellation within 15 days.

For urgent danger, section 18 lets a Food Safety Officer stop a business on the spot through an emergency prohibition order. Court cases carry heavier punishment, set out in sections 22 to 28:

The full list of offences, and the categories a premises must display, are covered in the Punjab food safety penalties we read in September.

Food poisoning victims can get compensation from the court

If unsafe food injures or kills someone, section 35 says the court shall order the food business to pay compensation on top of the punishment. It is up to Rs 500,000 for an injury and at least Rs 1 million for a death.

If the business does not pay, PFA recovers the money as arrears of land revenue and passes it to the victim or the family. This is why a medical record matters. A hospital slip with the date, the diagnosis and the food named links the illness to the meal.

Go to a doctor first. Then complain. Keep the leftover food if you can, and tell the doctor what you ate. Section 19 also lets PFA require doctors in an area to report food poisoning cases to it.

Compensation comes through the criminal case, so it depends on PFA or a prosecutor taking the case to court. For a refund on a bad product, consumer court is a separate route you can use yourself.

When PFA is not the right place to complain

PFA deals with food safety and hygiene. Overcharging above the official price list goes to the price control system instead. A government office that ignores you can be raised on the Pakistan Citizen's Portal.

If a shop sells at the right quality but the wrong price, report overcharging in Punjab through the price control helpline. If PFA itself does not respond after a reasonable wait, the Pakistan Citizen's Portal lets you complain about a government department.

PFA covers Punjab only. Food safety is a provincial subject, so other provinces work under their own food laws.

Common questions

What is the Punjab Food Authority helpline number?

1223. PFA's complaint page says the helpline runs 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Can I send a PFA complaint on WhatsApp?

Yes. PFA lists 0333 1017300 for WhatsApp complaints, which is the easiest way to send photos and a receipt.

Can I complain without giving my name?

PFA's pages do not say. The online portal needs a CNIC and mobile number, while the helpline and WhatsApp do not ask for registration first.

How much can PFA fine a restaurant?

Up to Rs 1 million under section 39, after giving the business a hearing. A court can impose more for serious offences.

Who pays if food poisoning puts me in hospital?

If the food business is convicted, the court orders it to pay you compensation of up to Rs 500,000 for an injury, under section 35.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 1 October 2026. The legal powers, penalties and compensation are read in the Punjab Food Authority Act 2011 on the Punjab Code, as amended in 2016 and by the Punjab Food Safety Laws (Amendment) Act 2026. The helpline, WhatsApp number and head office address are from PFA's own complaint and contact pages as last published, because pfa.gop.pk was under maintenance when we checked. The app's services are from its Google Play listing, and the complaint and licence verification options from PFA's online portal, which we opened. We did not call 1223 or file a test complaint.