Federal Minister Dr. Musadik Malik Chairs Committee Meeting on Import of GMO Soybean Meal
Islamabad : Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr. Musadik Malik, chaired a high-level committee meeting to review the import and regulatory framework of GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) soybean meal in Pakistan.
During the session, the Minister emphasized the need to base all decisions on robust scientific evidence and directed relevant departments to conduct a comparative analysis to understand why Pakistan’s soybean yield remains significantly lower than that of other countries. He further noted the need to examine why the production cost of locally produced soybean seed and meal is disproportionately higher compared to imported alternatives.
The meeting also discussed potential biosafety concerns, including risks of gene escape associated with GMO soybean seed and meal, and underlined the importance of establishing clear safety protocols.
A committee under the leadership of Prof. Kosar Abdullah Malik was constituted to organize a national conference within the next ten days, engaging experts and researchers to provide scientific guidance for the formulation of seed and biotechnology policies.
The Federal Minister directed that a comprehensive policy framework addressing biosafety, biotechnology, and regulatory mechanisms be finalized and implemented within 90 days to ensure sustainable agricultural development and food security in the country.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
