Biotech Updates

Pakistan Submits Biosafety Applications

January 19, 2007

Pakistan public sector R&D centers have started submitting applications to the National Biosafety Committee (NBC). The NBC is a directorate established in the Ministry of Environment for commercialization and field trial approvals of biotech crops. It is currently considering two applications under the Biosafety Rules 2005.

The National Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, has applied for the commercialization of their Bt Cotton variety “IR-FH-901”. In 1997 NIBGE conducted field trials to check and analyze many safety tests on various Bt cotton varieties, with desirable results against the Bollworms known as “Sundies”.

The Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), at the University of the Punjab Lahore, has also submitted an application to NBC for permission to conduct field trials of the Bt cotton varieties “MNH-93” and “CIM 482”, in collaboration with a national and a multinational company.

Read the article written by Ijaz Ahmad Rao at http://www.pakissan.com/english/advisory/biotechnology/adoption.of.bt.cotton.in.pakistan.shtml