ISLAMABAD:  A widening corruption scandal within Pakistan’s National Agri Trade and Food Safety Authority (NAFSA) threatens to exacerbate the country’s agricultural collapse, as multiple investigations reveal systemic fraud in mango exports coinciding with a catastrophic 13.49% decline in major crops.  

 

Sources within NAFSA confirm that Dr. Muhammad Ishfaque, Director Technical Quarantine in Karachi, was abruptly transferred to Lahore as Deputy Director Technical last week.

 Media reports identify this as part of a controversial arrangement between Dr. Syed Bilal Haider, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MoNFS&R), and Shazia Mateen, owner of RMC Mango Hot Water Treatment Plant (Mango-HWTP). The deal allegedly aims to establish a "command-and-control system" favoring Mateen’s facilities.  

 

In a concerning development, Muhammad Basit Director of Pesticides Registration with no quarantine experience has been given additional charge as Director Quarantine.

 

 Sources reveal Basit faces corruption charges (FIA FIR No. 2/2019) and is accused of facilitating Mateen’s demand for plant inspectors of her choice. 

His influence stems from connections to Afzal Bhatti allegedly who claims that he is a Prime Minister' s cook and Israr Khan, a clearing agent implicated in human trafficking.  

 

Investigative reports indicate Khan and Bhatti demanded Rs. 50 million to exempt Mateen’s plants from oversight. Earlier, six NAFSA officers including Priyanka Oad and Mahwish Aziz were removed after refusing to approve fraudulent treatment certificate for Mateen’s plants, which falsely claimed capacity to process of 15 tons/hour despite physical limitations allowing only 5 tons/75 minutes   

 

Meanwhile, Shazia Mateen’s operations reportedly involve Iranian collaborators: Mr. Sheikhi** (Balochistan-based clearing agent) and **Mrs. Marayum Jalili Moghadam** (Head of Iran’s Plant Protection Organization). Their alleged monopoly routes exports exclusively through **Rizwan Traders Quetta**, fabricating interceptions to eliminate competition.  

 

 

As Pakistan’s agricultural exports face existential threats, these scandals reveal how corruption compounds climate-driven crop failures – leaving food security hanging by a thread. 

 

A recent investigative report has brought to light a growing scandal within Pakistan’s newly formed National Agri-Trade and Food Safety Authority (NAFSA), alleging that regulatory mismanagement and unlawful decision-making are severely threatening the country’s food security and agricultural trade.

 

Dubbed “Fumi-Gate,” the scandal centers on the abrupt curtailment of methyl bromide (MeBr) fumigation — a critical pest-control protocol for imported agricultural goods — without the endorsement of Pakistan’s legally mandated biosecurity committees. The decision, reportedly taken by an ad hoc and technically unqualified committee within NAFSA, contravenes both domestic regulations and international treaty obligations under the WTO’s SPS Agreement and the IPPC framework.

 

“This is not just regulatory oversight — it’s regulatory overreach at the expense of national interest,” stated an agricultural expert familiar with the matter. “By sidelining expert bodies like the National Biosecurity Technical Committee (NBTC), NAFSA has jeopardized food safety, agricultural integrity, and international trade standing.”

 

The situation is compounded by revelations of corruption and misconduct among senior officials. Notably, the current Director of Technical Quarantine & Pesticides Registration is under investigation for authorizing the clearance of pest-infested soybean imports, which have reportedly devastated local agricultural productivity.

 

Agricultural exporters report billions in losses due to non-compliant cargo rejections, particularly in the rice, sesame, and corn sectors. Countries including the USA, Australia, Vietnam, and Russia — which enforce strict phytosanitary requirements — are reportedly reviewing their trade terms with Pakistan.

 

Experts warn that discontinuing MeBr fumigation could lead to an escalation in pest infestations, crop damage, food price inflation, and an unsustainable rise in pesticide use. Exporters also face rising costs and significant delays as uncertified shipments remain stranded at ports amid regulatory confusion.

 

While Pakistan retreats from internationally accepted quarantine practices, regional peers such as India, Bangladesh, and even Afghanistan continue to use methyl bromide fumigation under IPPC guidelines. The divergence raises alarms about Pakistan’s growing isolation in global agricultural trade and food safety governance. The investigative report calls for urgent intervention by Parliament, the Prime Minister’s Office, and international partners to restore order in agricultural biosecurity governance. Stakeholders are demanding a comprehensive review of NAFSA’s structure, transparent accountability, and the reinstatement of science-based policies.

 

Until then, Pakistan’s agricultural future remains in limbo — at the mercy of poor regulation and political interference.

 

These scandal arises in such a situation when Pakistan’s agriculture sector showed a combination of resilience and challenges across all its sub-sectors during 2024-25, and despite climatic challenges, recorded a mere growth of 0.56 per cent, primarily driven by a 4.72pc sustained growth in livestock, according to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2024-25 released on Monday.

 

All important crops declined by 13.49pc due to reduced cultivation area and adverse weather conditions, leading to a decline of 30.7pc in cotton, 8.9pc in wheat, 3.9pc in sugarcane, 15.4pc in maize, and 1.4pc in rice.

 

Important crops accounted for 17.82pc of the value added in the agriculture sector and contributed 4.19pc to the national GDP, while other crops contributed 13.88pc to agricultural value addition, and 3.27pc to GDP.

 

The growth trend emphasises the sector’s enduring importance, while also highlighting the urgent need for modernisation, climate adaptation, knowledge enhancement, and productivity improvements to sustain its contribution to economic growth and social well-being, the survey says.

 

Although the growth of 0.56pc is below the historical average, it is notable given the recently challenging climatic conditions. With livestock, the other two sub-sectors which recorded growth were 1.42pc expansion in the fisheries and 3.03pc growth in forestry.

 

Livestock remains the most dynamic and resilient sub-sector of Pakistan’s agriculture, integrated into rural livelihood. Engaging over eight million rural households, it contributes significantly (approximately 30-40pc) to their incomes. Livestock continues to dominate Pakistan’s agricultural landscape. Herd sizes grew moderately across major species. Cattle and buffalo populations reached 59.7m and 47.7m, respectively.

 

The crop sub-sector, which historically remained the principal growth driver, faced headwinds during fiscal year 2025. It registered a contraction of 6.82pc, largely due to the decline in important crops by 13.49pc and in cotton ginning by 19pc. Other crops, however, registered a positive growth of 4.78pc, which highlights potential for diversification.

 

The volatile performance of cotton crop highlighted the agriculture sector’s vulnerability to temperature fluctuations, varying rainfall, policy shifts and input availability. In the previous year, crop growth had been exceptionally strong at 10.85pc. This was followed by a decline of 1.17pc during fiscal year 2023, illustrating the cyclical nature of the sector and its inherent capacity to rebound when conditions are favourable.

 

In FY25, important crops accounted for 17.8pc of the value added in the agriculture sector and contributed 4.2pc to the national GDP. Meanwhile, other crops contributed 13.9pc to agricultural value addition and 3.3pc to GDP.

 

Sugarcane cultivation in Pakistan covered 1.19m hectares of land, depicting a 1.1pc increase from previous year. Despite a slight expansion in the area, sugarcane production registered a modest decline of 3.88pc, falling to 84.24m tonnes, primarily due to reduced rainfall and high temperature.

 

Moreover, area under rice cultivation expanded to 3.90m hectares, reflecting a growth of 7.2pc. Despite an increase in cultivated area, production volume experienced a marginal decline of 1.38pc, falling to 9.72m tonnes.

Experts urge Parliament and international bodies to intervene, citing immediate reinstatement of science-based fumigation protocols, transparent review of NAFSA appointments and criminal investigations against Basit and Haider .