The Senate Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research has sought export records for the past five years from the Ministry of National Food Security and Research after Italy sent a formal communication to Pakistan expressing concerns over the country’s agricultural exports, according to media reports.
During a meeting on Thursday, lawmakers questioned ministry officials about ongoing scandals, leadership vacancies, and breaches of export protocols.Â
Committee Chairman Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan said the cipher highlighted serious gaps in oversight, noting that the director general’s position has remained vacant for nine months.
Food Security Secretary Muhammad Asif told the committee that three previous directors general had been dismissed or retired after being implicated in irregularities. The panel directed that the three former DGs and the officers who investigated them appear before it.
Lawmakers raised concerns over violations of export standard operating procedures, including mango shipments to Iran that bypassed required protocols. Ahsan called for disciplinary action against the responsible secretary and questioned the ministry’s capacity to enforce Senate recommendations, citing a recent European Union report critical of Pakistan’s food safety measures.
The committee also reviewed the draft National Agri Trade and Food Safety Authority Bill. Senator Saleem Mandviwalla urged consultations with exporters to address their concerns and recommended a clause-by-clause review to ensure the bill meets its objectives.
Senator Aimal Wali Khan requested details on rice export testing and quarantine measures for imported animals. The secretary said quarantine services are largely managed through public-private partnerships and confirmed a ban on live animal imports since 2014, with limited exceptions.
Mandviwalla highlighted that aircraft allocated for locust control are now idle and deteriorating at airports. In response, Ahsan announced the next committee meeting would be held in Karachi to inspect the planes and directed officials to ensure full compliance with prior committee recommendations.
