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Status of Biotechnology/Biosafety Regulations/Public Participation and Awareness in Pakistan Shaheen Aftab Senior Scientific Officer National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad email: [email protected] www.nibge.org PAKISTAN Population 140 m Area 80 m ha Cultivable land 58 m ha Arable land 20 m ha Agriculture Share in Pak Economy •GDP 27% •Foreign Exchange 80% Cotton, Rice, Molasses, Carpets, Leather •Population Dependence 67% •Total Labour force (Directly & Indirectly) 54% Biotechnology Era in Pakistan •Recombinant DNA Technol 1981 USNSF/ PAEC/GOP •UNIDO Review for ICGEB 1982-84 UNIDO/ GOP •CEMB 1984 MOE Punjab Univ •S &T Fellowship 1985-1995 MOST 1000 Ph.Ds (Biotech. 3%) •NIBGE 1989-92 GOP Faisalabad •CABB 1995 UGC UAF •Instt. Biochem. & Biotech. 1995 UGC Punjab Univ. •M.Phill Biotech. 1995 QAU/ NIBGE NIBGE •M.Sc. Biotech. 1996 UGC NIAB K. Univ. National Programmes on Plant Genetic Engg. Centre Crop •CEMB Cotton, Lahore 1985 Rice, Chick pea •NIBGE Cotton Faisalabad Rice 1994 •PARC Rice Islamabad 1998 •UARR 2003 Rice Trait Status Comer Release B.T gene Transgenic plants at testing stage -do- No B. Blight rol. C -do- No Salt tolerance -do- -do- VR/IR B. Blight No Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), Punjab University Lahore National Institute for Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad A Center of PAEC dedicated to applications of Biotechnology in Agriculture, Health and Environment NATIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGY STATUS •No Coherent National Policy •Commercial Release of Transgenic- in Process •Biosafety laws - draft circulated •IPR, PBR, Patents Laws for GMOs – drafts circulated NATIONAL SCENE PAKISTAN: SIGNATORY OF TRIPS, WTO, CBD & CARTEGENA PROTOCOL ` Public Sector MOEnv CBD/Biosafety/ Cartegena Protocol MOC WTO MOI Patents (Pak Patent Office) MOE Copyrights MOA SPS,Codex Alimentarious, PBR MoST PNAC / PIPRO? BIOSAFETY GUIDELINES Three Tier System: Institutional Biosafety Committee Ministerial Biosafety Committee National Biosafety Committee (Interministerial Committee) Fate of Biosafety Guidelines in Pakistan 1994 Voluntary Code of Conduct for release of GMOs prepared by NIBGE 1998 Establishment of National Biosafety Expert Committee by MoEnv to prepare Biosafety Guidelines 1998 to 2000 Draft Biosafety Guidelines prepared by a Sub Committee of NBEC after consultation with all stakeholders January 2001:Final Consultation with all stakeholders and was recommended for adoption Till to date: NO Action Public Participation/ Awareness Press/ Media (TV) TV- Many private channels Many debates on biosafety Press- Science section- Pro & Against NGOs Action Aid Aurat ( Women) Foundation Farmer Association of Pakistan OXFAM SDIP SUNGI NGOs - Mostly Antibiotech Stance Farmer Associations- Pro/Neutral Public Sector Part of GEF-1( not included in second phase) NIBGE Organized Several Workshops 28 Public Biotech Center NATIONAL NEEDS A. Policy & Legislation Issue Enactment of Biosafety Guidelines Plant Breeder Rights National co-ordination Committee Re-entry into UNDP-GEF 2nd round programme NATIONAL NEEDS B. Capacity Building Technical- GMO testing, Evaluation Human Resource Development Training, Experts mission,Workshop, Awareness, Campaign Development of Partnership (Public- Private)