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In 2024, the Pakistan government issued revised Biosafety Rules and Regulations, creating a system to request genetically engineered (GE) commodity imports for food, feed, and processing (FFP). As of mid-October 2024, importers had submitted several applications to import GE soybeans for FFP.

The Department of Plant Protection (DPP) stopped imports of genetically engineered (GE) soybeans and canola in late October 2022. DPP said that importers needed an import license from the Ministry of Climate Change (MOCC).

In 2022, after a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) completed the draft, the National Biosafety Committee (NBC) reviewed a policy on regulating imports of genetically engineered (GE) commodities for food, feed, and processing (FFP). The NBC sent the draft FFP policy to relevant Ministries for further review. Cotton remains the only GE crop approved for cultivation.

Cotton continues to be the only genetically engineered (GE) crop approved for cultivation and use. Regulatory uncertainty prevents life science companies from seeking approval for any other GE crops, and the National Biosafety Committee is still developing regulations on imports of GE commodities intended for food, feed, and processing.

The Government of Pakistan has put on hold genetically engineered (GE) trials on all crops except cotton since March 2019.

Although biotechnology laws (i.e., Pakistan Biosafety Rules of 2005, Seed Amendment Act 2015 and Plant Breeders Rights Act 2018, etc.) exist in Pakistan, the rules and administrative processes....

In Pakistan, a developed biotechnology and seed regulatory structure is in place to facilitate the introduction of new technologies in the country.

Pakistan continues to make significant progress towards implementing a full-fledged biotechnology and seed regulatory structure that is expected to facilitate the introduction of new seed....

Pakistan is making progress towards approving and implementing the regulations that will modernize its seed and biotechnology regulatory systems.

Pakistan’s biotech regulatory system is currently on hiatus as the courts work to determine whether the provinces or federal government should regulate biotech crops.

The Senate Agriculture Committee passed the amendments to Pakistan’s 1976 Seed Act.

The bill amending Pakistan’s 1976 Seed Act has cleared the first step of the legislative process.