Govt Delays Genetically Modified Food Imports

Pakistan has postponed decisions on multiple genetically modified (GM) crop applications, including soybean imports, corn biosafety licenses, and cotton-related cases. This decision came after the National Biosafety Committee (NBC) requested clearer recommendations from its technical panel. The NBC held its 38th meeting at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, where it deemed the recommendations from the 45th Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) insufficient for finalization.

Consequently, the pending applications were returned to the TAC for further evaluation and a clear set of recommendations was requested. The agenda encompassed approvals for soybean meal imports for food, feed, and processing, the renewal of biosafety licenses for genetically modified corn, and various cotton-related applications.

The NBC also deliberated on the suspension of commercialization for GM corn and other biotech food crops. A Ministry of National Food Security and Research representative disclosed that the government had halted biotech food crop commercialization in 2019 until a comprehensive policy framework was established. This policy void has now been filled with the approval and notification of the National Agricultural Biotechnology Policy 2025, which establishes a regulatory framework for the assessment and commercialization of agricultural biotechnology products. Authorities have been instructed to proceed under the approved policy, as per the briefing.