Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr Musadik Malik met with Canadian High Commissioner Tarik Ali Khan in Islamabad to discuss measures aimed at making GM Canola trade between Pakistan and Canada more efficient. Secretary Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Ms Aisha Moriani joined the meeting, where limitations around Harmonized System codes and the need for clearer, faster procedures were central to the discussion.
Dr Musadik Malik stressed the Ministry’s commitment to minimizing procedural delays for importers and exporters and said any policy updates will prioritise streamlined processes. He noted the Ministry is upgrading its digital dashboard to improve transparency and ease of doing business, and emphasised enhancing institutional capacity to handle technical, regulatory and biosafety aspects tied to GM Canola and related agricultural commodities.
High Commissioner Tarik Ali Khan reaffirmed Canada’s support for stronger bilateral ties and expanded agricultural trade, welcoming Pakistan’s efforts to improve regulatory mechanisms. He expressed Canada’s readiness to collaborate on initiatives that promote clarity on HS code application, regulatory alignment and technical cooperation that benefits both countries’ agri-trade sectors.
Both delegations agreed to maintain close coordination and pursue practical steps to promote sustainable and transparent GM Canola trade, with a focus on clear HS code guidance, digital tools to reduce administrative delays, and capacity building within Pakistani institutions to manage biosafety and trade facilitation efficiently.
