Govt rejects proposal to import Indian insecticide

Federal cabinet asks ministry to explore other options

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has refused to allow import of insecticides from India to control the spread of dengue fever in Punjab.

According to sources, Ministry of Commerce had moved a summary to federal cabinet in its meeting held on March 10 to grant one-time permission for import of Insecticides from India in order to control dengue disease in the country’s biggest province.

The ministry had moved the summary on request of Punjab’s Primary and Secondary Health Care Department that had proposed that the permission may be granted to import the World Health Organization (WHO) prequalified insecticides from India on one-time basis “to save human lives.”

The insecticides that were requested to be imported from India included Alpha-cypermethin 10SC WHO PQT prequalified (45,000 liter); Deltamathrin 25 per cent WG, WHO PQT prequalified (5,000 kg) and Temphos 50 per cent EC WHO PQT prequalified (3,000 liter).

However, the federal cabinet expressed serious concerns over the summary seeking approval for import of raw material from India without exploring alternative options.

During the discussion, the cabinet members strongly opposed to resuming any trade with India as the people of occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Muslim community in India and Pakistan would not approve of it.

The cabinet asked why alternative sources for procuring alpha-cypermathrin had not been explored earlier as India is not the sole manufacturer of these insecticides. Later, the cabinet did not approve the summary and instead directed authorities to procure the chemicals from alternative sources.

Pakistan suspended trade with India after diplomatic row with the neighbour over the disputed Himalayan valley of Jammu and Kashmir.

Subsequently import of therapeutic products – regulated by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) – was allowed.  However, insecticides cannot be imported from India under the prevailing policy.

The power to allow import in relaxation of any prohibition or restriction, under Para-20 of the IPO 2016, rests with the minister for commerce, with approval of the prime minister.

Hence, the summary was first sent to Prime Minister Imran Khan to seek his approval. The PM office later intimated that the prime minister desired that the subject matter be placed before the federal cabinet for approval.