Pakistan gives green light to GMO soybean imports amid risk assessment controversy

In a controversial move, the federal government has authorized the import of genetically modified (GMO) soybeans from the United States, bypassing mandatory risk assessments required by the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. The decision, which reverses Pakistan’s previous stance on GMOs, drew criticism from environmentalists, farmers, and civil society groups, and raised concerns about potential political influence.

The National Biosafety Committee (NBC), chaired by Secretary Izaz Aslam Dar of the Climate Change and Environment Coordination Division, recently issued licenses to more than 42 importers to import GMO soybeans containing 47 genetic elements as food, feed and processing (FFP). However, the decision was made without conducting local risk assessments required by Pakistan’s Biosafety Rules and the Cartagena Protocol, which calls for assessments to ensure the safety of GMO products for human health, the environment and local biodiversity.

The move away from these important assessments appears to have been prompted by the influence of influential industry players, with accusations of political interference from the ruling party. Environmentalists such as Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) Director General Farzana Altaf Shah have previously emphasized the importance of conducting risk assessments of Pakistan’s local conditions before allowing GMO imports.

The controversy surrounding the decision has been further exacerbated by a complaint filed with Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif alleging that GMO soy import licenses were issued based on falsified risk assessment data. The complaint accuses Dr. Mazhar Iqbal, a professor at Quaid-e-Azam University, of charging the importer a fee of Rs. 700,000 for processing applications without proper oversight or approval from the university’s Institutional Biosafety Committees (IBCs) as required by the Biosafety Rules.

Amendments to the Pakistan Biosafety Rules, particularly Rules 8, 14 and 20, removed the requirement for local risk assessments and allowed imports of GMO soybeans based on foreign risk data, despite huge differences in conditions between the countries of origin and Pakistan. The changes were pushed through by the interim government, which legal experts say is constrained from making major policy decisions under the Constitution and the Election Act 2017. The amendments, approved in January 2024, have raised concerns that they were made without due process.

Documents suggest that the Pak-EPA leadership, including Dr. Farzana Altaf Shah, may have been lobbied by industry groups such as the Solvent Extraction Association (APSEA). These groups, as well as some individuals in the interim government, are believed to have fast-tracked the approval of GMO-soy imports despite the lack of necessary risk assessments.

GMO soybean imports, which could cost Pakistan about $1.5 billion in foreign exchange, have raised serious concerns in the agricultural sector. Farmers are particularly concerned about the potential impact on crop diversity, soil health and the long-term environmental consequences of introducing genetically modified crops into local ecosystems. In addition, critics argue that the decision undermines Pakistan’s biosecurity system and risks setting a dangerous precedent for future imports of GMO products.

Despite the growing controversy, an anonymous Pak-EPA official confirmed that the complaint was referred to the Prime Minister’s Office and other relevant ministries, but no action was taken. The official said the decision was taken by the interim government’s Cabinet Committee on Legislative Cases (CCLC), which approved the regulatory changes. However, interim Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar denied knowing about the amendments and refuted claims that the changes were made with his approval.

As the situation unfolds, environmental and agricultural groups continue to voice their opposition, calling for a more transparent and rigorous vetting process before any GMO products are allowed in Pakistan.

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Tags: Pakistan, soybean