According to reports, the federal cabinet recently discussed the issue and stated that the soybean shipments stalled at Karachi’s ports would result in a scarcity of chicken feed across the nation. The meeting was presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
According to the agenda, the subject of detained soybean shipments was brought up. During the discussion, it was clarified that six ships’ cargo was being held because importing genetically modified soybeans for human use was prohibited.
The Cartagena Protocol states that the nations have the right to forbid the import of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) meant for use as food or feed. However, it was up to the Department of Plant Protection (DPP) to make a choice and advise the cabinet to give a one-time exception.
The conference also mentioned that GMO soybean had been illegally imported for a while. It was reported that Customs Intelligence had recently stopped a cargo of genetically modified soybeans, which led to the detention of five further identical shipments.
It was proposed during the conversation to form a committee that would meet to study the matter and make suggestions to the cabinet under the direction of the minister for National Food Security and Research.
In this context, the government established a committee headed by the Minister for National Food Security and Research to discuss the GMO soybean shipments seized at Karachi’s ports. The group also comprised representatives from the environmental, business, industries, and production ministries, as well as the ministries of law and justice, railroads, and aviation.
Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Tariq Bashir Cheema stated in a previous meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security that the US ambassador had approached him to grant one-time clearance to vessels carrying GMO soybeans that had been illegally imported, after which he could impose a ban on the product. He further stated that Pakistani customs officials had intercepted nine packages carrying GMO soybean seeds.