ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research, which met here on Thursday under the chairmanship of Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan, strongly criticized ministry officials for presenting false information on mango exports, information that has already been contradicted by European data and other international sources.
The chairman came down hard on Secretary MNFSR Amir Mohyuddin, the Joint Secretary Bilal Haider, and DG Department of Plant Protection (DPP) Tahir Abbas, accusing them of misguiding the public and the Parliament. He said both the ministry and DPP had failed to act on directions given by the committee during its previous meeting.
“I personally visited the hot water treatment (HWT) plants in Karachi and saw illegal activities firsthand. Cameras were not working, HWT equipment was non-functional, and corruption was rampant. Certain plants were being facilitated illegally, with officials reportedly accepting payment per kilogram to bypass treatment procedures,” Senator Masroor said.
The chairman revealed that one Karachi facility, operating on a plot of only 2,000 square yards, was allegedly claiming to process 17 containers of mangoes daily for phytosanitary certification. “Such volumes are logistically impossible, yet fake certificates were being issued, putting Pakistan’s exports at risk,” he said, adding that he had shared photographs and evidence with the ministry, but no action was taken.
When ministry officials attempted to explain, the chairman snapped: “I have all the evidence. You don’t even have the authority to rectify matters in your own ministry. I am surprised to see who is actually running the affairs of MNFSR and DPP.”
Committee members also told the officials that their inefficiencies were damaging the reputation of Federal Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain, who heads the ministry.
Senator Saleem Mandviwalla pointed out that the ministry’s mango export figures should be cross-verified through the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) to avoid further misguidance. He also criticized officials for failing to address rice consignment interceptions abroad and for not ensuring fumigation of imported cotton, which risks the domestic crop.
The meeting also took up the draft of the National Agri Trade and Food Safety Authority (NAFSA) Bill. Senator Mandviwalla said the proposed authority seemed like nothing more than a reshuffling exercise to accommodate bureaucrats and non-technical officials. “The bill unfairly puts the burden of responsibility on exporters while leaving the wider food supply chain unaddressed,” he said, adding that several associations feared the body would further complicate issues instead of resolving them.
Senator Aimal Wali Khan also criticized Pakistan’s weak food research and quarantine system: “Across the world, quarantine centers regulate seeds, plants, and animals for import and export. But in Pakistan, who is checking our rice exports? Do we have facilities at airports for incoming livestock? Even Iran and Afghanistan are ahead of us.”
In response, ministry officials claimed quarantine facilities are installed at all entry points whenever required and clarified that Pakistan had banned live animal imports and exports since 2014, with only a few exceptions allowed.
The committee also raised concerns about locust control aircraft, with Senator Mandviwalla remarking: “We are flying planes that other countries have already retired and placed in museums. All of 20 aircrafts are non-functional. I challenge the ministry: if even one of these planes can reach the runway, I will award the whole ministry.” Officials claimed that only five aircraft remain operational.
Separately, the committee directed the ministry to submit a detailed written report by next week on the destruction caused by recent floods and crop losses. Officials said floodwater was still standing in many areas, and an initial damage assessment would be shared once the water recedes. PT Report
