Pakistan’s National Biosafety Committee is set to consider the renewal of commercial licenses for genetically modified maize varieties at its 38th meeting on October 23, amid concerns that the move could preempt a policy review ordered by the prime minister.
The agenda includes renewal applications for insect-resistant and herbicide tolerant maize varieties developed by multinational companies Corteva and Bayer.
Environmental organizations and agricultural policy specialists argue that commercial approvals should wait until a specialized federal committee completes its assessment of the economic and environmental implications of GMO maize cultivation.
GMO Maize Renewals Raise Regulatory Concerns
The National Biosafety Committee operates under the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination and is responsible for regulating genetically modified organisms under Pakistan’s biosafety framework.
Critics say approving the renewals before the prime minister’s committee finalizes national policy guidelines could undermine the ongoing review. They argue that extending commercial licenses at this stage could provide continued market access without resolving questions about the crop’s environmental and economic viability.
Pakistan Previously Halted GMO Maize Experiments
The debate follows a July 2019 directive by the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency, which halted GMO maize experiments and import authorizations over concerns about unintended crop contamination, cross pollination and potential damage to Pakistan’s non GMO maize export sector.
The report said cross ministerial discussions coordinated by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research found no meaningful productivity gains or financial savings from genetically modified seeds compared with conventional hybrid varieties. Legislative committees and provincial governments, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, also opposed GMO maize in favor of non GMO hybrid alternatives used in countries including China, India and Turkey.
Soybean Imports and Cotton Field Trials Also on Agenda
The committee will also consider a request from Zubair Feeds (Pvt.) Ltd. to import 47 authorized genetically modified soybean varieties for animal feed processing through the Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology. The proposal comes as national authorities continue developing a comprehensive framework for domestic soybean production and imports.
Under Agenda Item 3, the committee will consider a field testing application for UAM 2026, a multi gene cotton variety submitted by MNS University of Agriculture, Multan. The variety is designed to address pink bollworm damage and invasive weed challenges.
Under the Pakistan Biosafety Rules 2005 and obligations under the Cartagena Protocol, commercial approvals and product imports require post market surveillance, pest resistance documentation, and assessments of environmental and economic consequences.
Critics argue that approving commercial renewals without disclosing the relevant safety assessments could weaken transparency and environmental safeguards, while increasing the risk of contamination that prompted the 2019 restrictions. Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik was unavailable for comment when contacted.
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