Pakistan approves new National Agriculture Biotechnology Policy
On 28 April 2026, Pakistan's Federal Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, approved the country's first-ever National Agriculture Biotechnology Policy, alongside the National Seed Policy 2025 and an Interim National Wheat Policy 2025–26. Pakistan has been developing this policy framework for several years, with the Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research awaiting cabinet submission since August 2025.
The aim of the National Agriculture Biotechnology Policy is to ensure national food security, a significant increase in agricultural production, and the promotion of research and development in the agricultural sector. The National Seed Policy 2025 aims to deliver a 15–20% increase in agricultural production and includes measures for partnerships with internationally recognised seed companies.
History
Under the Pakistan Biosafety Rules 2005, gene-edited organisms that contain a foreign gene are treated as GMOs, but if a foreign gene is absent or has segregated out, the edited plant is not subject to GMO regulations.
A meeting of stakeholders was later organised by the National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE) which reached a consensus that the gene editing policies of Japan and Australia would be adopted, with SDN-1 and SDN-2 products not regulated as GMOs, and products containing a foreign gene treated as GMOs.
A draft of the National Biotechnology Policy was prepared in August 2025 and reviewed by relevant ministries. That document has now been approved as the country's first-ever National Agriculture Biotechnology Policy.
New regulatory system
The new Pakistan regulations rule that organisms developed using gene-editing tools will be categorized based on the type of edit:
- Products generated through SDN-1 (which do not contain any foreign nucleotide sequences) and SDN-2 (which do not contain foreign sequences other than those from a sexually compatible donor) will not be regulated as GMOs.
- The presence of exogenous DNA templates in final prodcuts, except for sequences derived from a sexually compatible donor, will not be permitted under SDN-2.
- Whereas when a foreign gene/exogenous DNA of any size is present, the product will be treated as a GMO (SDN-3).
- Labelling laws for GMO/GEd products have not been enacted in Pakistan.
Researchers must provide evidence or data demonstrating that the gene-edited plant(s) are free from any introduced exogenous DNA to obtain NON-GMO status from the IBCs. The relevant certificate for gene-edited change will be issued by the National Biosafety Committee, whether GMO or NON-GMO.
The policy document is not yet available online but will be uploaded to the Ministry of National Food Security and Research. We will update this page when the policy is live.
For more information about the National Agriculture Biotechnology Policy, please contact Dr Shaukat Ali Director, National Institute for Genomics and Advanced Biotechnology, National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad.