Agreement Signed for Establishment of National Reference Laboratory for Plant Protection
Technical Evaluation Committee to Monitor National Reference Laboratory's Progress for Five Years
KARACHI — An agreement for the establishment of the National Reference Laboratory for the Department of Plant Protection (NRL-DPP) was signed on Monday, marking a significant step towards enhancing the country’s agricultural safety standards.
The agreement was formalized between the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, and the Federal Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFS&R). The new laboratory will be developed under the umbrella of the ICCBS with financial support from the MNFS&R. The Director of ICCBS will hold the sole administrative authority over the NRL-DPP.
The signing ceremony was attended by Federal Secretary for Food Security, Wasim Ajmal Chaudhry, Federal Secretary for Industries and Production, Captain Saif Anjum, Director General of Plant Protection, Waqas Alam, and other prominent officials.
The NRL-DPP will serve as a national facility for testing pesticide residue and related analyses, addressing emerging challenges in food and drug testing through innovative methods. The laboratory will also provide commercial testing facilities for pesticide residues under the agreement.
Additionally, a Technical Evaluation Committee will be formed to monitor the laboratory’s progress over the next five years. The committee will meet annually to evaluate the lab’s developments, with a mandate to continue or reconstitute annually, subject to approval from the Board of Governors of ICCBS and the MNFS&R.
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The project’s staff, both technical and non-technical, will be hired in accordance with government regulations. The laboratory will also work toward obtaining accreditation for the NRL-DPP under the MNFS&R. The Ministry will oversee the expenditure required for the accreditation process.
This initiative is a major step in strengthening Pakistan’s food safety framework, ensuring higher standards in agricultural practices, and meeting international testing and quality control demands.
