According to a notification, the first sub-committee will work under the chairmanship of Khurshid Zaman Qureshi, Chairman Cotton Research and Development Company, with three members including Dr Mubarak Ali, Chief Executive Punjab Agricultural Research Board, Khalid Masood Chaudhry, Managing Director Punjab Seed Corporation and Muhammad Ahsan Rana, University of Melbourne. The sub-committee will also be co-opted by a legal and financial expert.
According to the terms of reference, the sub-committee will hold negotiations with Monsanto Pakistan to work out detailed modalities of partnership with the Punjab government to commercialise Bollgard I(R) technology containing event Mon 531. The sub-committee will also discuss various working models of partnership with Monsanto and finalise the basis of technology fee or royalty to be paid to Monsanto for technology transfer. These negotiations will form the basis of the government of Punjab’s recommendations to the federal government.
The sub-committee-1 will also outline the process of regulatory regime and approval of varieties to operationalize partnerships. The sub-committee-I has also been given the mandate to hold negotiations with private sector seed companies, working with authorised marketing companies of Chinese Government, including Chinese Academy of Science for import of Chinese technology to develop insect resistant varieties. The sub-committee will also extend and explore ways and means as to how the Punjab Government can facilitate such private sector seed companies in bringing Chinese technology to Pakistan without further delay.
According to the notification, the sub-committee will evaluate and shortlist indigenously developed cotton varieties containing event Mon 531 for consideration/approval.
The sub-committee-2 will be chaired by Wajeh Ullah Kundi, Additional Secretary, Finance Department Punjab with four other members including Dr Noor ul Islam, Chief Executive Officer, Cotton Research & Development Company, Rabia Sultana, Farmer, Dr Mehboob Ali, Scientist Emeritus and Professor Shiekh Riaz-ud-Din, Director CEMB.
The sub-committee-2 will also be co-opted by legal and financial experts. The sub-committee-2 will hold negotiations with M/s Monsanto Pakistan to work out detailed modalities of partnership with the Punjab government for commercialisation of Bollgard 2 (R) technology containing event Mon 15985.
The sub-committee-2 has also been given the mandate to examine existing patents of M/s Monsanto in Punjab of any Bollgard 2 (R) products. The sub-committee will also develop a long term technology sharing frame work, under which bio-tech products in the pipeline can be commercialised in Punjab under collaborative arrangements.
Both sub-committees will meet on a regular basis and share their recommendations with the Task Force on BT Cotton within 15 days of the notification issued on May 12, 2008 by the Agriculture Department, Punjab.