News Detail

The Senate Standing Committee on National Food Security & Research met under the chairmanship of Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan.

The Chairman Committee expressed concern over frequent transfers and deputations within the departments and questioned why the post of Director General (DG) had remained vacant for the last nine months. The Secretary, Ministry of National Food Security & Research, informed the Committee that three officers had earlier served as DG, but all three faced allegations of serious irregularities and scandals. One of them has since retired, while the other two were terminated from service.

Senator Saleem Mandviwalla observed that in such cases, it's important to also hear the viewpoint of the officers involved, as such significant scandals could not have been the act of a single individual alone. The Chairman recommended that the three former DGs officials who had conducted inquiries against them should also be summoned to the Committee.

The Chairman Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan highlighted repeated violations of SOPs in exports, particularly citing the example of mango exports to Iran. He revealed that the Secretary for Food Security had earlier been summoned to explain the role of hidden elements involved in such violations. The Chairman remarked that action should be taken against the Secretary. He further pointed out that if the department had failed to implement recommendations made by the Senate Committee, then it raised serious questions about its ability to run the institution. The Chairman also expressed concern over a recent European Union report, asking who would take responsibility for it.

The Committee also held a discussion on the National Agri-Trade and Food Safety Authority Bill. On this matter, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla expressed concerns that an export-related association should be invited for consultation on the bill and stressed the need to examine the issues faced by exporters and to seek feedback from all relevant stakeholders. Additionally, Senator Mandviwalla emphasized that the bill should be reviewed clause by clause to ensure that its objectives are fully achieved.

The Chairman observed that when a cipher was received from Italy, exporters were asked to provide their entire five-year record.  Furthermore, Senator Aimal Wali Khan raised questions about who was testing rice exports and whether animals imported from abroad were being quarantined. He stressed that across the world, seeds, green plants, and animals are subjected to quarantine procedures when imported and exported. The Secretary for Food Security briefed that quarantine facilities were generally arranged through public–private partnerships.

The Secretary further stated that the import and export of live animals had been banned since 2014. However, he informed that special permissions were granted for the import of certain animals.

Senator Saleem Mandviwalla also highlighted the issue of non-operational aircraft used for countering local attacks, noting that these planes are currently at the airport in a deteriorated state. The Chairman recommended that the next meeting will be held in Karachi, where members of the Committee would conduct an on-site visit to inspect the condition of these planes. He further directed that the recommendations made during the last meeting should be implemented in accordance with the law.

The meeting was attended by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, Senator Poonjo Bheel, Senator Dost Muhammed Khan, Senator Abdul Karim, Senator Aimal Wali Khan, Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani, and senior officials from the Ministry of National Food Security & Research and the Department of Plant Protection.