Source: Scidev.Net
[ISLAMABAD] Pakistan has relaunched its agency overseeing regulation of
biotechnology research, arming it with more powers that include developing
stricter biosafety laws.
The new task force, announced last month, replaces the previous Pakistan
Biological Safety Association (PBSA) launched just a year ago by the country's
Higher Education Commission’s (HEC) core group in life sciences.
The PBSA was backed by Atta-ur-Rahman, who stepped down as chairman of the HEC
in October 2008, apparently dissatisfied with the new government's low funding
for universities.
It is among the several institutes affected after Rahman's resignation. The
HEC's core group on life sciences itself was closed down in 2008 and the PBSA
was reduced to a volunteer society of professionals running only biosafety
awareness campaigns, with no government funding.
The new task force consists of scientists drawn from the departments of science,
environment, atomic energy and foreign affairs of 21 bioscience institutes. They
will regulate bioscience research, monitor for bioterrorism and introduce
biosafety in university bioscience syllabi.
One of the task force's immediate priorities is to introduce in Pakistan's
parliament, within the next six months, a new law meting life imprisonment to
researchers misusing bioscience research.
"We hope to get a biosafety law passed by the parliament very soon which will
make biosafety not just voluntary but a legal obligation," PBSA convenor Anwar
Nasim, who heads the new task force, told SciDev.Net.
"Apart from promoting productive research, the task-force will also monitor
professionals engaged in performance of biological, biomedical, biotechnological
and other life sciences research work to ensure that high-risk materials and
data are not used for destructive proposes," Pakistan foreign ministry's
director-general Irfan Yousaf, told SciDev.Net.
Shahana Kazmi, professor of microbiology and dean of the faculty of sciences at
the University of Karachi, describes the development as "vital for avoiding
directionless research in biotechnology".
"Making of laws is good but their implementation is best. We expect this body to
ensure the implementation of biosafety laws and set national priorities in
biotechnology research to avoid wastage of funds and efforts," Kazmi told
SciDev.Net.
(Source: Scidev.Net: www.scidev.net)