By squeezing in such legislation, it seems leaders of PTI are trying to make K-P a laboratory for failed experiments.
PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government tried to spell disaster for the people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) last month, as it tried to introduce a Genetic Modified Seeds Bill on April 24, 2014 in the provincial assembly.
Such seeds are banned in all European Union countries and in many other countries like India. Fortunately, the leaders of these countries have the sense to know that this seed is very harmful and can destroy the flora and fauna of some of the countries’ most beautiful parts.
This seed is also known as the ‘Death Seed’ or the ‘Terminator GM seed’ by many as it has an inbuilt mechanism of producing crops only once so that the multinational corporations producing it can sell their seeds again and again every year to make high, abnormal profits. Moreover, crops based on this seed are only suited to US-manufactured insecticide drugs.
By trying to squeeze in such a legislation, it seems that the leaders of the PTI are trying to make K-P a laboratory for failed experiments. Indeed, it is a puzzle to note that the province’s lawmakers are considering such projects when organic seeds, which are much less expensive and harmful, are readily available in Pakistan.
Before they try to push for any legislation, lawmakers must be thoroughly aware of the pros and cons. In general, people who sit in legislatures should be well read and cognisant of various kinds of technologies and the repercussions of using it. Unfortunately, such acumen has not been observed in PTI lawmakers.
Alija Khan
Published in The Express Tribune, May 9th, 2014.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
