The tolerance of petty crimes creates an enabling environment for serious offences to flourish in society. As a drive against the sale of dead animals’ meat is going on in major cities of Punjab, stunning facts are coming to the surface. Nobody knows for how long the sale of dangerous meat of animals like donkeys, dogs and even pigs has been going on. It was media reports that highlighted the issue. The credit also goes to the Punjab Food Authority that made serious efforts and launched a vigorous campaign against unhygienic food being served in restaurants, thereby focusing minds on what was being purveyed in the food markets. What are the reasons for the proliferation of this dangerous and life threatening business? The provincial government is responsible for checking those who play with the people’s lives by selling unhygienic food and prohibited animals’ meat, which is injurious to health. In Punjab, the provincial government is being run as a one-man show. The Punjab chief minister is holding the portfolios of too many ministries, which has created a mess in the functioning of many provincial departments and the masses have become the ultimate sufferers. If we look back to the past, an executive magistracy system was introduced by the British colonialists. The enforcement of government writ, particularly in the domain of price control, adulteration, hoarding and the removal of encroachments came under the purview of the executive magistracy. The institution of executive magistracy was abolished by the Musharraf regime in 2001 and a local government system implemented. Now, demands are being made for the restoration of the old executive magistracy system in the wake of the provincial government’s failure to check unscrupulous butchers, traders, big food mafias and black marketeers who are on the loose and openly challenging the government’s writ. Switching back is not going to be easy. Many argue that the judiciary should remain separate from the executive. However, the provincial government needs to do whatever it can to check such horrible practices by greedy persons. The government needs to stop this dirty business and take immediate action against all those who are directly or indirectly involved in this disgusting business. On an interim basis, the Punjab Food Authority should intensify its drive against the illegal slaughtering of animals and adulteration of food. On a long term basis, the local governments soon to be elected should be authorised to regulate markets, ensure hygienic food and implement food safety rules. This is too serious a matter and should not be left unattended. The government needs to wake up to its responsibility of protecting citizens’ health. *