ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Maritime Affairs (MoMA) is to constitute a three-member inspection committee for registrations of fish processing plants, official sources told Business Recorder.

As per Rules of Business 1973 as amended from time to time and Constitution of Pakistan, Fourth Schedule - Federal Legislative List Part 1, Clause 36 Fish and Fishing beyond territorial waters was allocated to Ministry of Ports and Shipping (now Ministry of Maritime Affairs) as per Inter Provincial Coordination's O M of May 17, 2011.

Constitution of Pakistan, Fourth Schedule - Federal Legislative List Part 1, clause 27 which delineates "Import and export across customs frontiers as deemed by the Federal Government, inter-provincial trade and commerce, trade and commerce with foreign countries; standard of quality of goods to be exported out of Pakistan."

Accordingly, Federal Government is authorized to regulate export of Fish and Fisheries products through Marine Fisheries Department, Karachi which is the Executive Department under Ministry of Maritime Affairs as per Cabinet Divisions Memorandum of December 23, 2019.

Marine Fisheries Department, Karachi is regulating export of fish and fisheries products through Pakistan Fish Inspection & Quality Control Act, 1997 and Pakistan Fish Inspection & Quality Control Rules, 1998.

As per clause 5(1) of Pakistan Fish Inspection & Quality Control Act, 1997 "The Federal Government shall constitute an Inspection Committee consisting of one representative each of the TDAP, the Marine Fisheries Department and a broad based trade association of fish processing plants."

Section-5 of Pakistan Fish Inspection & Quality Control Act, 1997 vide Ordinance No. XI of 1998 was amended and the words "and a broad based Trade Association of fish processing plants" were omitted, however, the amendment in the Act could not be carried out within stipulated time. Hence, the Ordinance stood repealed.

The Ministry of Maritime Affaires has proposed the following Inspection Committee (IC) for registration of fish processing plants as per clause 5(1) of Pakistan Fish and Quality Control Act, 1997:- (i) Director General, Marine Fisheries Department, Karachi;(ii) Director, Agro & Food Division, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan and; (iii) Chairman, Pakistan Fisheries Exporters Association (PAKFEA).

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