The Senate Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research on Thursday unanimously approved the National Agri-Trade and Food Safety Authority (NAFSA) Ordinance 2025, merging the Department of Plant Protection (DPP) and the Animal Quarantine Department (AQD) to bring Pakistan’s agricultural trade framework in line with international standards, according to a news report.
The meeting, chaired by Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan, was attended by Senators Danesh Kumar, Poonjo Bheel, and Hafiz Abdul Karim. Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain briefed the committee on the objectives of the new authority, describing the DPP as one of the most corrupt departments under his ministry and confirming that most of its staff had already been dismissed.
“The Prime Minister does not want any of the ousted officials back in the organisation. New hiring will be carried out after the new Authority is established,” the minister said. A representative of the Law Ministry added that the ordinance explicitly bars reinstatement of dismissed employees.
Responding to senators’ concerns over appointments in the DPP, Hussain said he would not allow political interference. “The Committee should recommend improvements, not act as a parallel government,” he remarked.
Officials briefed the committee that Pakistan’s agricultural exports have not kept pace with the sector’s overall growth due to non-compliance with global Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) standards under WTO rules. Both a Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) project (2006–2016) and a 2023 FAO report identified weak enforcement of SPS standards as a major barrier to export expansion.
A recent inquiry into 72 rice export interceptions by the European Union in 2024 further highlighted deficiencies in the DPP and AQD, with repeated SPS violations damaging Pakistan’s credibility in international markets.
The ministry emphasised that a unified, independent regulatory body like NAFSA is necessary to address these shortcomings and improve compliance with global bio-security and food safety standards.
Earlier, the Federal Cabinet approved the draft NAFSA Bill on April 15, 2025, and the President promulgated the National Agri-Trade and Food Safety Ordinance (Ordinance No. VI of 2025) on May 2, 2025.
The new authority will regulate agricultural imports and exports, implement SPS and food safety standards, prevent pest and disease outbreaks, and certify products for international trade.
