Only 16 regular staff tasked to handle phyto issues at 34 terminals/ports
STAFF REPORT
ISLAMABAD: Crisis of interceptions and pest issues are looming again with a serious risk of imposition of restrictions/ban on Pakistani exports of food items as a crucial department of food ministry is left with a handful staff to inspect hundreds of consignments and issue phytosanitary certificates.
Department of Plant Protection (DPP) an attached department of Ministry of National Food Security and Research, which previously served with 186 staff, is left with 16 employees (entomologists) posted at 34 ports/terminals that too consist of non technical and those with tainted background.
After consultation with officials of DPP regarding affairs of the department, it emerged that the interventions and posting of non technical staff by the Ministry in DPP, has put a major question on performance the department that how a mere 16 staff that too included non technical ones, can manage inspections at 34 terminals and ports.
As per details, regrettably, the DPP is experiencing desperate shortage of technical workforce since 2005. The DPP is without its regular technical Director General since 1998, due to posting of favorites by the highest echelon Director General in the DPP without considering pest identification and management related qualification and regulatory experience in the field of sanitary and phytosanitary measures and even favourite bureaucrats for personal stake has shaped the today DPP. As some of the bureaucrats have always been untouchables in every government being favorite and close to the top most echelon, so, the favorites in present government are known as “Chaudhry sahib” and “Baita G”. They guide the head of executive befitting to make posting of their favorites (relatives, friends, front man) at lucrative posts to work following their wishes and whims without considering regulations and interest of public that lead to subsequently cause disaster and turmoil for the departments, economy and country.
From 2005 to 2019, eight non-qualified officials including Mr. Allah Yar, Mr. Rashid Siraj, Mr. Asar Khan, Mr. Yaqoob Khan, Mr. Muhammad Tariq, Mr. Javed, Noor Ilahi Dasti, Mr. Abdul Sattar, and Muhammad Mushtaq, (Assistant Entomologists BPS-16 promoted from BPS-3 and 6) holding matric, F.A. and B.A., have been posted on key quarantine positions politically.
Sources inside the DPP revealed that these officials are not holding mandatory degree of B.Sc., Entomology, Plant Pathology or Mycology and any equivalent education (Botany with plant pathology or Zoology with Entomology) and hence, are not eligible to be appointed against posts related to plant quarantine and perform function pertaining to sanitary and phytosanitary measures. They do not have any knowledge regarding pest identification and pest management. It is matter of record that each of these non-technical officials has been used to conduct more than hundred inspections and phytosanitary certification of imported and exported agricultural goods during their eight-hour duty. They have been even involved in issuance of official certificates (import permits, release order and phytosanitary certificate) without requisite documents and on the basis of bogus inspection by 2021 because it is not humanly possible to conduct scores of inspections and certification by a single person during eight hours. They even cannot write general and technical names of some insects, plant pathogens and weeds of agricultural commodities in addition to national and international regulations that resulted ban on import of rice from Russia and Mexico in 2019 and warnings and non-compliances notifications from EU member countries, USA, Australia, Vietnam, China, Uzbekistan, Korea, Japan.
In 2017, Nawaz Sharif Government ordered reviewing, amending and harmonization of outdated Pakistan Plant Quarantine Rules, 1967 that were promulgated in 1914 by British Imperial Indian Government. Pakistan adopted it as such after partition. India reviewed, amended and promulgated these regulations in 2003 and then in 2020 as Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003 while Bangladesh reviewed, amended and updated its regulation in 2018 after 1971. Pathetically, Pakistan reviewed, amended and harmonizd its regulations in 2019 after a lapse of two years as Pakistan Plant Quarantine Rules, 2019 due to political motivated incompetent appointments against post of DG of the DPP. No further review and amendment of regulations have been made after 2019. Some key amendments in the plant quarantine statute regarding constitution of country’s representative topmost technical committee i.e., Plant Health Committee is pending with the present government since February 2024. Pakistan Plant Quarantine Act, 1976 have not been reviewed and amended so far which provides punishment of Rs. 2000/- against any violations of plant quarantine regulations, so the traders don’t bother about these regulations and bring any high-risk goods in the country without any phytosanitary measures.
The Rule 101 read with Schedule VIII of the PPQR, 2019 defines that only those Assistant Entomologists holding degree of Entomology, Plant Pathology, Mycology and performing quarantine activities are empowered under Rule 98 and Rule 99 of the PPQR, 2019 to conduct quarantine duties while non-technical officials promoted from laboratory assistant, BPS-3 and locust assistant, BPS-7 are neither eligible to be posted in quarantine section nor promoted against the post of Entomologist. Their qualification only allows their posting in locust section and to assist the technical Entomologist in locust surveillance and conduct control operations personally with spraying machines.
Article V of the IPPC tethers member countries to the IPPC that the government officers who are technically qualified in pest identification and management shall perform quarantine activities and phytosanitary certification. Thus, after promulgation of PPQR, 2019, all 8 non-technical officials were restricted by law not to perform quarantine related duties for not having relevant technical degree and know how of pest identification and managements and international regulations like pest risk analysis, pest surveillance, establishment of phytosanitary measures, treatment procedures, awareness about pesticides and alternates of historically used fumigants.
In 2020, Federal Government created 100 temporary seats of Entomologists under Anti-Locust Program by imposing National Locust Emergency in Pakistan due to unprecedented plague of locust in Pakistan in order to meet shortage of technical human resource in the DPP because it was not holding requisite strength of technical officers, physical insfracture, pesticides, equipments, spraying road worthy vehicles and airworthy spraying planes to control this menace. Therefore, Federal Government involved agriculture and revenue departments from Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab and KPK, Pakistan Army, NDMA, PDMA, and DPP to control this menace though, it was mandate of the DPP alone to keep it under surveillance regularly in the international scenario under auspices of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and control it whenever, its population is witnessed as resurged and multiplied and spread along with countries lies on traditional and historical route of locust right from Africa to middle east, Pakistan and India.
Though, this strength of technical officers compared to regional countries like India, Korea, Japan having more than 400 technical officers was far less to perform regulatory functions of the DPP at 34 land terminals, NLC stations, seaports of Karachi, Gowadar, International airports, agricultural fields, deserts and supervise disinfestation activities in agro commodities establishments.
In 2020, Locust Emergency and Food Security (LEAFS) project was also initially approved by Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) with cost of 200 million USD funded by World Bank (WB) till 30th June 2023. It was later revised and approved by ECNEC with cost of 96 million USD funded by the WB and Rs. 4000 million by GOP and extension period till June 30th 2025. However, the World Bank closed LEAF project, for which it had approved $200 million, citing the performance of the project as highly unsatisfactory owning to no expenditure till June 30th 2023 but agreed to pay project liabilities. Thus Central Development Working Party (CDWP) under Planning & Development Division, Planning Commission, Islamabad approved revised project with cost of 3600 million rupees with extension of 24 months till 30th June 2026.
Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR) and the DPP recruited 86 more Entomologists having minimum qualification as B.Sc. Hons, M.Sc. Hons., PhD degree in Entomology, Plant Pathology and Mycology in the DPP to encounter their deficiency and to comply international standards regarding locust surveillance and control as well as plant quarantine activities under LEAF project liabilities in March, 2023 till June, 2023 and later to shift their services under LEAF project approved by CDWP.
Despite the fact, 186 strength of technical officers in the DPP was far less than the requisite in the DPP to perform the mandatory functions of the DPP nation wide and even much less than the technical strength of neighboring countries and developed economies departments at the ports in addition to lack of infrrastructure at any ports of Pakistan, the DPP heaved a sigh of relief and appointed these technical officers first time in the history of Pakistan at all 34 ports (seaports of Karachi, Gwardar, land terminals, cargo terminals of international airports, NLC dry ports, international railways stations) and schedule deserts of Pakistan to carryout locust control and plant quarantine related activities relieving non-qualified officials from such posts. However, the strength was not sufficient to appoint officers at International passenger lounges in the country to control unchecked import and export of banned goods through frequent flyers.
Pakistan is only unfortunate country in the regions that don’t have counter and office at international passenger lounges like customs, ANF and ASF to regulate illegal and non-compliant import and export of agro-commodities.
The temporary appointments of technical officers resulted in ever highest increase in export of agro commodities (mango, citrus, potato, onion, fruits and vegetables, rice, sesame, maize, chilies and wheat and rice straw). Many new high valued markets were opened. Many treatment plants were established.
Russian ban was lifted due to the efforts of these technical officers by complying their phytosanitary requirements in 2021. Negotiation were at final stages with Mexican authorities to lift ban through trade section of Pakistan Embassy in Mexico. Kenya and south Africa granted market access to Pakistani mangoes due to successful negotiation between DPP and their NPPO’s. China granted market access of chilies, rice, mangoes, citrus, wheat and rice straw, and potato due to successful compliance of the DPP. Vietnam granted market access of maize. Uzbekistan granted market access of mangoes, banana, potato and onion following and complying their requirements by the DPP.
The WB closed the LEAF project with effect from 1st July 2023 due to poor performance of the MNFSR and the DPP. 66 qualified and trained Entomologist left the DPP due to uncertainty and lack of job security. However, MNFSR issued direction to the DPP to continue services of the leftover 64 technical officers recruited under LEAF project and 56 technical officers under Anti-locust project to perform locust surveillance and control and plant quarantine and pesticides import and standardization, aerial spray related functions of the DPP.
Federal Government approved extension of the 56 officers appointed under Anti-Locust against 100 created posts by the Federal Government after leaving of 44 officers under dismay of uncertainty and job security. However, the process for the technical staff under LEAF project remained swinging back and forth without result on pity objections sometimes between MNFSR and Establishment Division, other time between MNFSR and Finance Division and lastly between MNFSR and Planning Commission despite approval of LEAF project by ECNEC for next three year.
On 17 Januay, 2024, Capt. Retd. Muhammad Mehmood, additional Secretary Incharge, MNFSR under influence of some commercial fumigators wrote to the Planning commission to close LEAF project for the DPP without any appropriate justification and ordered to give life to dead and unwise constitution of authority.
Can any authority work without technical officers at ports for inspections of goods? Secondly, another tier was created between MNFSR and the DPP that will spoil and would be another hurdle in the way of ease of doing business.
The unwise decision is evident from this matter of fact that he had not even compared the strength of the neighbouring countries with the DPP strength while recommendation closing of the project. The vendetta was only that these officers were recruited during the rein of the PDM government. He issued instruction to prepare software and work online. It is not business and trading that will be carried out online. Even automated machines and computers used for quarantine activities can take application and issue online certification but these are based on quarantine inspection and verification of documents and procedure that are required to be conducted by technical people like deveolped countries having complete recognition and awareness about biosecurity of the nation. As these decisions are taken by chaudhry sahb and baita of the highest echelon, so no body can challenge them.
The employees carried out their duties from ist July, 2023 to 15 January, 2024, they were verbally and abruptly instructed to go to your homes without any one month mandatory notice and payment of outstanding salaries of nearly seven months by the DG, DPP on the instruction of Capt. Retrd. Muhammad Mehmood.
The terminated employees appealed to the mnfsr against the abrupt termination of their services and payment of outstanding salaries of nearly seven months but they were not responded by Capt. Retd. Muhammad Mehmood.
On 29 January, Capt. Retd. Muhammad Mehmood was made OSD by the interim prime minister on the complaint of SIFC due to his constant absence in its meetings and forign personal visits and lack of interest in SIFC related matters. After that, Capt. Retd. Muhammad Asif, Additional Secretary of the MNFSR was made the Additional Secretary incharge of the MNFSR. He gave hope that MNFSR is working for the materialization of LEAF project approved by ECNEC from 17 January, 2024 to 30th June 2024.
Now, MNFSR has declared that the LEAF project has been closed by the planning commssion hiding its negligence to defend and highlight the necessity of the project. Further, Anti-locust has been expired on 30 June, 2024 relieving remaining trained techical officers from their duties completing their contractual term on 30 June 2024 leaving only 14 permanent technical officers for whole functions of the DPP.
Director General DPP, Mr. Tariq Khan has deputed 16 permanent officers including 4 non-technical and non- qualified officials for quarantine activities like inspection and phytosanitary certification and biosecurity clearances, but these non-technical officials are not empowered under regulations for such regulatory work. Further, 16 officers are not sufficient to run the affairs of the plant quarantine of the DPP at 34 designated ports. One non- qualified official Mr. Rashid Siraj has been awarded penalty of forced retirement by the DG on account of corruption and willful absence from the duty. Mr. Allah Yar is suspended on account of suspension and harassment of woman officials and other misconduct and inefficiency in addition to holding of criminal record being accused in FIR No. 242/24, PS, Kot Sabzal, District Rahim Yar Khan, FIR No. 61/24, dated 06-02-2024, PS, Abadpur, District Rahim Yar Khan, dated 06-03-2024, PS Airport, Malir, Karachi. Other non-technical officials (Mr. Muhammad Mushtaq, Mr. Asar Khan, Mr. Yaqoob Khan, Mr. Abdul Sattar, Mr. Muhammad Tariq, Umer Farooq,) have been suspended many times on gross violation of plant quarantine regulations and corruption charges.
As per insiders, MNFSR has not moved their extension cases timely despite the DPP repeated requests for their services in the DPP nor briefed the Prime Minister about the technical strength and impact that will be developed on export and import of agro goods. Though these employees have previously been given extensions by the Ministry and PM office from July 2023 to June 2024 for one year, the MNFSR, has reportedly yet not moved summary and file for next extension which may cause acute shortage technical staff at the Department to handle Inspection of food items both being exported and imported.
Non clearance of consignments at ports after due Inspections may cause congestion at porta ultimately halting the trade activities.
On the other side, in an effort to enhance the smooth functioning of the Department of Plant Protection (DPP), the Federal Minister has deputed following three principle scientific officers from the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) to the DPP without any lawful authority.
Dr. Falak Naz, Principal Scientific Officer (PSO), Entomologist, Islamabad
2. Mr. Samiullah Channa, Principal Scientific Officer (PSO), Entomologist, Islamabad
3. Mr. Asif Zulfaqar, Senior Scientific Officer (SSO), Entomologist, Islamabad”
According to a recent notification, these PSO are assigned to train the existing staff (16 left over permanent employees with more than 20 year regulatory experience) at the DPP. This move, how amazing as claimed by the ministry, aims to improve the operational efficiency of the organization.
However, insiders believe this addition will not significantly impact the organization. They argue that the main issue lies in the appointment of unqualified and irrelevant officers on political and administrative grounds, sidelining regular and qualified officials. These political interventions, they claim, are disrupting the business and affairs of the DPP.
Among the three officers, Dr. Falak Naz, PSO of PARC has already been appointed as DG DPP on contract basis for three years. He has tainted integrity being nominated in case FIR No. 2/2019 registered in FIA ACCC Circle Karachi on account of release of infected soybean vessel MV Vita Ocean in January 2019 after holding it since 19 December, 2018 without any reason and receiving illegal bribe of one crore and sixty lakh. In this case, Dr. Falak Naz along with other accomplice Dr. Muhammad Basit, Deputy Director Quarantine, Mr. Umar Farooq, Entomologist have remained in jail for more than three months. The MNFSR has given them key posts on the recommendations of core bureaucrats close to the present government.
Ironically, PM and MNFSR complained and expressed concerns and question on the performance and integrity of the technical officers of the DPP. However, how can PM and MNFSR can justify that to little number of technical officers of the DPP too maintain its integrity and perform its function with such a pathetic strength. Can it be wisdom to blame too little technical employees of the DPP for corruption and fake certification. It is out of question whosoever head of the DPP that integrity and performance of the DPP will be improved with such a pathetic strength or with employee of army officer as head of the DPP until or unless more than 300 trained technical officers with requisite qualification and experience are posted in it by closing door of deputationists and favorite for minting money. Can non-technical cadre or army be able to perform technical functions and comply international standards and requirements. In this situation, fake certification based on bogus inspection will be rampant for which non-technical officials are best suited to mint money but country will suffer in terms of possible ban on Pakistan’s exports of agro goods by trading countries.
The question naturally arises either incompetent and corrupt bureaucrats or political governments are responsible for poor performance of the DPP or technical employees of the DPP.
About DPP: Department of Plant Protection (DPP) is an attached department of Ministry of National Food Security & Research (MNFSR), Government of Pakistan. Federal Government has nominated the DPP as National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) of Pakistan under obligation of Article IV of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).
Federal Government has proclaimed Pakistan Plant Quarantine Act 1976 (PPQA, 1976) and Pakistan Plant Quarantine Rules 2019 (PPQR, 2019) to regulate export and import of agricultural commodities with respect to sanitary and phytosanitary measures. The DPP has been vested with power by the Federal Government under Article 23(7) of Schedule II of the Rules of Business, 1973 to conduct plant quarantine of importable and exportable agro commodities following these regulations. The DPP also bound to run the plant quarantine affairs of importable and exportable things following guidelines, (also known as International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) of the IPPC) to prevent introduction, establishment and spread of foreign biosecurity risks and avoid adverse effects of GMO goods on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking also into account risks to human health and safeguard domestic agriculture, natural resources, environment, biological diversity and public health.
In addition, DPP regulates pesticide import and standardization, aerial spray, and locust surveillance, control and maintenance of locust warning organizations in its international aspects. Thus, the DPP is overall responsible for plant protection of the country.
The DPP has crucial role both for export and import of agricultural commodities along with wide-ranging mandate of protection of agricultural, horticultural and floricultural crops, forests, biosecurity, biodiversity, public health and natural resources of the country because no contracting party to the IPPC accepts agricultural goods from Pakistan unless it is inspected and certified free from biosecurity by qualified Entomologist of the DPP following their phytosanitary requirements. Likewise, the entry of the importable agricultural commodities in Pakistan without appropriate quarantine inspection, verification of compliance of technical phytosanitary requirements set by the technical experts of the DPP and finally biosecurity clearance of the DPP shall allow foreign biosecurity risks to effortlessly enter in Pakistan, multiply and spread across the country and play havoc with Pakistan’s own agriculture and pollute Pakistan’s biodiversity and hurt its Biosecurity as well.
