Pakistan's National Biosafety Committee meets for its 38th session on October 23 to evaluate the renewal of commercial licenses for genetically modified maize types, while worries grow that the decision might bypass a policy review requested by the prime minister.
Renewal requests for insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant maize strains created by global firms Corteva and Bayer make up part of the schedule.
Environmental groups and agricultural policy experts contend that commercial authorizations ought to be paused until a dedicated federal committee finishes evaluating the environmental and economic effects of growing GMO maize.
GMO Maize Renewals Raise Regulatory Concerns
Functioning under the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, the National Biosafety Committee oversees genetically modified organisms based on Pakistan's biosafety regulations.
Opponents state that clearing the renewals ahead of the prime minister's committee completing national policy rules might weaken the active evaluation. They believe that extending commercial permits now grants ongoing market entry without settling doubts about the economic and environmental sustainability of the crop.
Pakistan Previously Halted GMO Maize Experiments
The controversy stems from a July 2019 order by the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency, which suspended GMO maize trials and import permissions because of worries regarding accidental crop mixing, cross pollination, and possible harm to the country's non-GMO maize export market.
The report noted that cross-ministerial talks managed by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research revealed no significant output increases or monetary savings from genetically modified seeds versus traditional hybrid options. Provincial governments, such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, alongside legislative committees, likewise rejected GMO maize, preferring non-GMO hybrid choices used in nations like China, India, and Turkey.
Soybean Imports and Cotton Field Trials Also on Agenda
The committee will additionally review an application from Zubair Feeds (Pvt.) Ltd. to bring in 47 approved genetically modified soybean types for animal feed production via the Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology. This submission arrives as national officials build a broad strategy for local soybean farming and imports.
Under Agenda Item 3, the committee will evaluate a field trial submission for UAM 2026, a multi-gene cotton strain put forward by MNS University of Agriculture, Multan. This strain aims to combat pink bollworm harm and invasive weed issues.
Based on the Pakistan Biosafety Rules 2005 and duties under the Cartagena Protocol, commercial clearances and product imports demand post-market monitoring, pest resistance records, and evaluations of environmental and financial impacts.
Detractors claim that granting commercial renewals without releasing related safety evaluations could reduce openness and environmental protections, alongside raising the danger of contamination that led to the 2019 restrictions. Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik could not be reached for comment.
