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China and India are amongst the World Leaders in Biotechnology while countries in Middle
East Africa and Asia region are beginning to realize the significance of this discipline. Dr.
Anwar Nasim S.I., the World renowned scientist, Advisor COMSTECH and Chairman,
National Commission on Biotechnology, comments briefly on the state of BT in the region
TechMag: What is happening in biotechnology in the Middle East, Africa and South
Asia region?
Dr. Anwar Nasim: One of the major developments in this region is that biotechnology is
being recognized as a major science in the Islamic countries. The ISAAA [International
Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications] with head office in Manila,
Philippines, started a program for setting up BICs, Biotechnology Information Centers. When I
went to a meeting in Singapore several years ago, I learnt that within the Islamic world BICs
were established in four countries, namely Egypt, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Indonesia. So I
felt that Pakistan must also have such a center which now is referred to as PABIC, Pakistan
Biotechnology Information Center. It is based in the University of Karachi in Latif Ibrahim
Jamal Institute. I was asked to be its Patron and Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary (HI, SI,TI), who
is the Director, HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, is the
man behind PABIC. The PABIC is now very much active and has held media briefings,
seminars, etc. Since Biotechnology is an important discipline, efforts are underway to set up
BICs in other Islamic countries also. Dr. Atta ur Rehman has very kindly provided $100,000
from COMSTECH for this program and now there will be five more BICs in the Muslim World.
We want to start with Iran and then go to Kazakhstan, Turkey and Uganda. Dr. Iqbal Chaudhri
is coordinating this effort. PABIC will play host and will organize the first meeting in Karachi to
which at least people from Iran and Kazakhstan will be invited. We hope that soon at least 10
BICs will be established in the Muslim countries. The major function of these centers will be to
disseminate information related to biotechnology with emphasis on interaction with media.
What are your views on GM foods being Halaal or Haraam?
The criterion in my view should be the same as is held in the matter of any food, edible or
medicine. If a food item or medicines contains constituents from a non permissible source, it
is Haraam. Like pig fat in any edible. I was invited to a meeting in Philippine and later to
another in Malaysia this year on the question of GM food. A major problem is that there is no
authority which can issue a Fatwaa that would be acceptable throughout the Muslim World.
The view that I gave in my presentation was that it all depends on the donor gene. If the donor
gene is from a permissible or Halaal source then the product may be considered Halaal. But
if the donor gene is taken for instance from the cell of a pig, then of course the product
resulting from it cannot be Halaal. Later there was a major international seminar on the same
subject. They invited one Islamic scholar and one scientist from different Islamic countries. I
had gone there as a scientist from Pakistan and Professor Dr. Anis Ahmad, Vice Chancellor,
Riphah International University, Islamabad, as an Islamic scholar. He made a very good
presentation on the fundamental principles based on which you can take a decision. There
were delegates from Bangladesh, Malaysia, India, etc. and the proceedings were published
at the end of the year. The consensus was more or less the same and it was agreed that the
products should be labeled very carefully with proper certifications.
What is the Biotech scenario in the region?
Iran is doing well in this part of the region. They have a number of biotech products. I have
visited Iran and seen their laboratories which have been designed to scale up with demand.
But of course, China, Cuba, India and Brazil are the World leaders in Biotechnology. India
has huge facilities for producing vaccines, antibiotics, hormones, etc. In 1986 they setup a
Department of Biotechnology which had a scientist as a secretary.
In Hyderabad, India they set up an organization called FABA, Federation of Asian
Biotechnology Associations. They are meeting very regularly and their provincial government
is supporting them very strongly. I am the current President of FABA and will remain so till
next February. They provide a platform where people from the region come and put up their
stalls to promote their business.
In Pakistan the present scenario is somewhat dismal. Not that biotechnology institutes have
been closed or anything. But the National Commission on Biotechnology is no more
functional. The Commission was set up in 2001 and had some grants from the Ministry of
Science & Technology. In June 2009 the project finished because no grant was released to
run the Commission and the staff of the Commission has gone home. We are told that the
Commission still exists because the Ministry has not closed it formally. But in the absence of
funding, staff gone, the Commission is practically dead.
However, efforts at individual level are going on. There is a company Invitro Vogue, The
Biotech. Company in Lahore ( www.invitrovogue.com) set up by Mr. Omar Malik. Feroz Sons
has set up a project in collaboration with Argentina where they are producing hormones and
other products. The Prime Minister of Pakistan launched that project.
Now we are at a stage where there is awareness in the industry and people want to invest in
biotechnology. It was not wise to close down the Commission at this stage. The possibility
exists that we could be producing biotech products in a year or so if serious effort is made. If
India can do Biotechnology at such a massive scale, why can’t we. If you look at numbers and
figures that how much foreign exchange we are spending on importing stuff like insulin,
hepatitis vaccines, etc, you will see the justification for producing biotech products in
Pakistan to meet our own needs, if not to export.
Anything you would like to add?
Well actually I am a bit disappointed. The policies are not very encouraging. I was part of the
national core group on life sciences in Higher Education Commission set up by Dr. Ata ur
Rehman. That has also been closed last year. Now the National Commission on
Biotechnology has been closed. So, one gets resigned to the situation when things are not
moving. My interest is now focused on NGIs, Non Government Individuals. I am looking for
people who are trying to do something good in their personal capacity and now there are
practical examples of efforts leading to something tangible. And by virtue of my philosophy, I
will be the last person to give up my personal struggle as an individual for Biotechnology and
science,
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