Domestic quarantine is enforced to stop the spread of pests. No matter how strict the quarantine is, but the threat of pests and diseases through various avenues is always there. This is because of lapses and faulty control system.

Under such circumstances enforcement of domestic and internal quarantine becomes indispensable, while eradication of the newly established spots becomes a second line of defence. Domestic quarantine can be enforced through active cooperation of federal agencies and provincial units.

The importance of domestic quarantine has not yet been taken into account though our agriculture sector has suffered a lot. To comprehend its economic importance, few examples may be sufficient.

The powdery scab of potato was first observed in 1986 in isolated pockets from Attock, Okara and Faisalabad. In 1990 the disease was confirmed by the Parc scientists at the Crop Disease Research Institute (CDRI) laboratory of Narc Islamabad after its interception in imported seed of potato at a post-quarantine stage.

More than half of the total certified seed used is imported. The risk of involuntary import of disease remains if the regulatory quarantine service is perforated or ineffective.

The powdery scab is now well established in Punjab, the NWFP, and some valleys of the Northern Areas. Phalaris weed (Phalaris minor) or dumbi citti of wheat was not existent but is believed to have been carried here with wheat consignment reaching under the US aid in 1969.

Initially its introduction was reported from Punjab but the lack of domestic quarantine helped it to spread in Sindh and other parts of the country. Recently an exotic bunchy top disease in banana was discovered.

This alien disease first appeared in Ghorabari area of District Thatta in some localized pockets. But the absence of domestic quarantine allowed it to spread in the entire banana growing areas of lower Sindh.

After devastating banana crop of lower Sindh it reached to upper part in early 1990's causing colossal loss to the crop. Its deadly impact could be gauged from the fact that Khairpur district alone suffered a loss of over Rs2.5 billion following the damage of banana plantation as per conservative estimate based on the field survey by this scribe.

Moreover, implementation of the WTO regime would tremendously increase the international trade of commodities, including plant and plant materials thus enhancing the chances of introduction of more alien pests and diseases. Eradication or restriction of such threats at initial stages makes the domestic quarantine unavoidable.

The threat could be gauged from the fact that a Lahore-based Landscape and Irrigation consultant apprised to this writer that the import of ornamental exotic plants and seeds has become common in Punjab, wherein leading nursery owners and rich people are mostly engaged in it.

Similarly, while visiting the Shah Latif University, Khairpur this scribe came to know that the Date Palm Research Institute of the University is considering of sending a team of experts to Iran and major date producing countries of Middle East. Besides, visiting research institutes they will also gather information on different varieties.

Main risks, in the world of emerging plant diseases, come from the plant trade. In many developed nations, gardening has reached to epidemic proportions and countries as far apart as China, South Africa, New Zealand and the Netherlands have established vast industries to meet the demand of exotic plants.

Though safeguards are in place to prevent pathogens arriving with plants, but they do not work. The most dangerous plant pathogens are still unknown to science and so do not feature on any quarantine schedule.

Its best example is the existing Plant Quarantine Rules 1967 of Pakistan in which import restriction or prohibition schedule is silent about the date palm, which is one of the most important dry-fruit crop with an annual production of over 0.5 million tons and also a source of foreign exchange.

On world level the share of Pakistan in date production is 10.5 per cent as per 1999 statistics. The date palm trees spread over one lakh acres in district Khairpur are under threat of some pests and disease which may devastate this crop like that of the bunchy top banana disease which has almost wiped out the plantation in this district.

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