Minister orders urgent review of GMO soybean import, policy

Malik orders scientific review, 90-day policy deadline after locally produced soybean becomes more expensive than impo

ISLAMABAD:

Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr Musadik Malik, on Monday chaired a high-level committee meeting to review the import and regulatory framework of genetically modified (GMO) soybean meal in Pakistan.

According to the official statement, the minister stressed the need for science-based decisions and ordered a comparative study on why Pakistan's soybean yields remain lower than other countries and why locally produced soybean seed and meal are more expensive than imports.

The meeting also discussed biosafety risks, including possible gene escape from GMO soybean seed and meal, and highlighted the need for establishing clear safety protocols. A committee, led by Prof Kosar Abdullah Malik, was formed to organise a national conference within ten days to gather expert input for future seed and biotechnology policies.

Malik instructed that a comprehensive policy on biosafety, biotechnology, and regulation be finalised and implemented within 90 days to support sustainable agriculture and food security.

The review follows the November 2024 government decision allowing GMO soybean imports from the US after a three-year suspension. The approval was granted without conducting risk assessments on 47 gene events under local conditions, as required by Article 15 of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. This decision effectively shifted Pakistan's status from non-GMO to GMO, despite previous objections from former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Imran Khan, and Shehbaz Sharif, as well as the Ministry of National Food Security and Research. Environmentalists, farmers, and civil society groups also raised concerns.

Critics allege the policy change was influenced by powerful industry players, including a ruling party politician. The National Biosafety Committee, chaired by Secretary Eazaz Aslam Dar, approved licenses for over 42 importers to bring in GMO soybeans with 47 gene events for food, feed, and processing, without required local risk assessments.