Customs warned against invalid plant, material imports

KARACHI: Pakistan Customs has been warned to tighten screening/clearing of plant and plant materials after reports of invalid imports through green channel, which the department has denied, officials said on Wednesday.

“It is observed that some shipment of plant and plant material and regulated articles are being allowed entry into Pakistan via green channel…without considering valid import permits and official certificate,” a source at Pakistan Customs quoted Ministry of National Food Security and Research officials as saying.

The official added that Plant and Protection Department of the ministry stressed that such material poses a serious bio-security risk and can wreak large-scale havoc on domestic agriculture and natural resources.

The source quoted the plant protection department as saying that import permit was issued after finalising pest risk analysis with the National Plant Protection Organization of the exporting country and customs should not allow any such material to enter Pakistan without valid permit, phytosanitary certificate of exporting country, and plant protection release order.