August 25, 2025 — The first meeting of the high-profile committee constituted by the Ministry of Climate Change & Environmental Coordination to address regulatory mechanisms regarding biosafety concerns of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and for policy review regarding seeds and crops was held at the Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), University of the Punjab. The meeting was chaired by Prof. Dr. Kauser Abdulla Malik, Founder Director of NIBGE, Former Chairman of PARC, and Former Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research.

The meeting was attended by leading scientists and policymakers, including Prof. Dr. Talat Naseer Pasha, Director General Punjab Agriculture, Food & Drug Authority (PAFDA); Dr. Asif Ali Rao, Chairman National Seed Development and Regulatory Authority (NSDRA); Dr. Nasir A. Saeed, Director National Institute of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering (NIBGE); Dr. Shaukat Ali, Principal Scientific Officer, National Institute for Genomics & Advanced Biotechnology (NIGAB); Dr. Sultan Habib Ullah Khan, Director Centre for Advanced Studies, University of Agriculture Faisalabad; Dr. Arfan Ali, Scientist, Four Brothers Group Lahore; Dr. Sajid ur Rehman, Chief Scientist, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute Faisalabad; Muhammad Asim, Representative of CropLife; Dr. Muhammad Rauf, Deputy Director Pak-BCH; and Mr. Israr Ahmad, Assistant Director Pak-BCH. Senior professors from the Plant Biotechnology Lab, CEMB, also participated.

The session also had distinguished online participation from Dr. Yusuf Zafar, Ex-Chairman Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC); Dr. Shahid Mansoor, Ex-Director National Institute of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering (NIBGE) Faisalabad and Senior Advisor at International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), Karachi; and Prof. Dr. Moazur Rahman, Director Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB).

Participants highlighted key gaps in the current regulatory framework and stressed the need for strengthening biosafety measures and seed policy reforms. In his concluding remarks, Prof. Dr. Kauser Abdulla Malik emphasized the importance of establishing a smooth, transparent, facilitative, and objective regulatory mechanism for GM crops to ensure biosafety while promoting sustainable agricultural innovation in Pakistan.