NOTE: According to the article below along with the latest round of trials Monsanto simultaneously "submitted the case for commercialization."
COMMENT from Ijaz Ahmad Rao in Pakistan:
Third phase of GM Corn / maize trials by Monsanto & Dupont-Pioneer are currently underway in different locations in Punjab.
Earlier, two years mandatory trials were conducted and no real additional value for Pakistan could be proven by those. To-date, the following questions remain unanswered and costs doubts on the whole regulatory process in Pakistan:
1. No action was taken on the unethical acts committed during the TAC / NBC reporting process of then Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad (Now Chairman PARC) Head "TAC Sub-Committee Recommendations and Findings" The News International
http://www.thenews.com.pk/todaysprintdetail.aspx?id=51817&cat=2&dt=6/10/2011
2. Contamination of non GM crops by Bt Corn/maize due to cross pollination still not addressed
3. Refugia design and implementation issues not being addressed
4. Doubtful messages about yield increase still being widely propagated in Pakistan despite authentic counter data available from cross the globe including USA.
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Monsanto introduces BT cotton at varsity
Pakistan Observer, January 29 2013
http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=193536
Faisalabad - Leading international seed company Monsanto formally made an intervention of showcasing its new technology at farm land of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad to enable agricultural stakeholders witness the upcoming technology.
The event of sowing second generation genetically modified corn at UAF was held at UAF with UAF VC Prof. Dr. Iqrar A Khan as chief guest. Addressing the participants, Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan described the event a wonderful beginning of University Industry Linkage. He said Monsanto had introduced BT cotton in the country adding that the cotton we are growing on the name of Bt is originally designed by Monsanto.
He said Monsanto is doing business and UAF is also pursuing agenda of promoting opportunities that could benefit academia, industry and farming community at large. He said the law of the country had laid down some prerequisite of containment facility for risk assessment and field test that would provide critical information to fulfil the legal requirements. He termed the technology park an opportunity for academia, students and other stakeholders to see the developments made by Monsanto in this regard.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Muhammad Asim, Regulatory Affairs leader, Monsanto Pakistan briefed about the trial, purpose, objective of the trial, and the company at large.
He said the Monsanto started the trials of Genetically Modified Corn and it was second generation trial of 120 days and simultaneously we submitted the case for commercialization.