Import of GM soybean, canola seed: Govt decides to add ‘sunset’ clause to biosafety rules

ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to add sunset clause to Pakistan Biosafety Rules, 2005/guidelines to contain import of GM soybean and canola seed as import of both items crossed one billion-dollar mark per year, well-informed sources told Business Recorder.

This decision was taken by the federal cabinet, in its previous meeting when the minutes of Cabinet Committee on Legislative Cases (CCLC) of November 14, 2023 were prepared for ratification.

During the ensuing discussion, it was highlighted that amendments in the Pakistan Biosafety Rules had been proposed on the advice of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFS&R) considering the dependence of the cooking oil industry and poultry feed on imported GM soybean and canola seed.

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The Cabinet was further apprised that the value of the two imported products alone crossed one billion dollar per year mark.

Sharing this concern, the Minister stated that this practice should not be continued indefinitely and suggested that it would be appropriate to introduce a sunset clause in the proposed amendments.

It was further proposed that in the meantime, the M/s NFS&R should work out the possibility of ensuring the provision of local produce for edible oil and poultry feed. In response, MNFS&R stated that it was in the process of notifying proper standards in the form of an“ Agriculture Bio-Technology Policy“ to ensure that reliance on imported food items was minimized.

According to sources, after arguments by the Cabinet members, the Cabinet authorized the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination to add, in consultation with the Law and Justice Division, an appropriate “sunset clause” to the proposed “amendments in Pakistan Biosafety Rules, 2005.”

The Cabinet also approved amendments in Trade Organisations Rules, 2013, amendments in Pakistan Postal Services Management Board Ordinance, 2002 as per State-Owned Enterprises (Governance and Operations), Act , 2023, amendments in Navel Regulations Part-1( 1987), Aviation Command Board Criteria, amendments in National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC)’s Employees (Recruitment and Conditions of Services), Rules, 2002, National Commission for Human Rights of Child (NCRC)’s Employees (Recruitment and Conditions of Services), Rules, 2002, the ICT Waqf Properties(Mosques Management) Rules, 2023, amendments in Pakistan National Shipping Corporation Ordinance, 1979 in the light of State-Owned Enterprises (Governance and Operations ) Act, 2023, proposed amendments in Mineral and Industrial Gases Safety Rules, 2010 , and regarding LNG sector and notification in respect of amendments in Professional Development of Engineers Bye-Laws 2008 and PEC Bye-Laws 1976.

The Cabinet also approved MoUs, which have already been signed between Pakistan and Kuwait during the recent visit of caretaker Prime Minister, Anwar ul-Haq Kakar.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023