Like many other countries of the world, in Pakistan too, genetically engineered [GE] plants have become subject of a rancorous debate. Its supporters see agricultural biotechnology as a tool to solve problems of hunger and excessive pesticide use.

On the contrary, its critics say that it will be bad for consumers' health, will impoverish small farmers, will fatten the profits multinational companies like Monsanto, and reduce the biodiversity.

According to the Consumer Protection Network, (CPN) Islamabad, Monsanto is aggressively lobbing the Pakistan government to get clearance for the controversial Bt cotton for large-scale cultivation and marketing.

Besides, some quarters seemingly in league with Monsanto, trying to convince the government through media that to combat sundi, especially Armyworm [Lashkari sundi], Pink bollworm and American bollworm cultivation of Bt cotton is unavoidable. This very group insist upon allowing cultivation of Bt cotton in good time so that its performance could he tested.

However the irony is that these supporters of controversial cotton variety are perhaps not aware that cultivation of Bt cotton has already been started in Sindh since Kharif 2002 season without the enactment of Bio-safety Protocol by the government.

In this respect, the complaint of a Hyderabad- based NGO to the federal ministry of food, agriculture and livestock (MINFAL) dated 22-07-2002 maybe recalled. The NGO had complained about large-scale distribution of genetically modified Bt cotton seed in the district Sanghar.

Following the complaint, a team comprising cotton expert from ARI Tandojam, FSC Hyderabad, and DDO Agriculture Extension Sanghar was formed to undertake the survey of 1000 acres of cotton crop. After the survey, the very team reported that by and large the Bt cotton crop was free from bollworm infestation.

However, incidence of cotton leaf curl virus [CLCV] disease was reported by the survey team. Besides lower Sindh cultivation of Bt cotton was also undertaken in the upper Sindh's district of Khairpur and Sukkur, on an area of over 70 acres during Kharif 2002 and about 14 acres during kharif 2003 season in districts Gotki, Sukkur, and Khairpur.

Two years observations of the Bt cotton under the climatic condition of upper Sindh indicate that this very transgenic cotton variety was highly susceptible to Jassid attack requiring two to three sprays for its effective control. Besides susceptible to this sucking pest Bt cotton was found susceptible to CLCV disease.

However, occurrence of CLCV was found erratic in nature. For example, out of four plots three plots located at Deh: Dervesh and Bakra in Taluka Mirpur Mathelo, District Ghotki; Deh Panwar in Taluka-Rohri were found during Kharif 2003 season significantly damaged by jassid, cicv.

The most shocking scenario was damage of leaves, squares, flowers, and bolls by the army worm larvae in all these three plots located at different places. However, only one small plot of less than one acre at Deh Sikandrabad in Taluka-Nara of Khairpur District, situated in the desert belt remained free from armyworm attack as well as clcv disease,

But here too it failed to escape jassid attack and two sprays for its control. It should also be mentioned here that last monsoon season had received frequent rains hence repeated sprays for jassid attack did not allow resurgence of mites otherwise during Kharif 2002 which was dry and almost devoid of monsoon rain, 2-3 sprays exclusively for Jassids control had triggered mites outbreak in majority of the plots under upper Sindh climatic condition.

Another alarming aspect of Bt cotton, as observed during 2002 cotton season was very high infestation of spotted bollworm on non-Bt cotton (Niab-78) sown with Bt cotton because of mixing of seeds by the seed mafia.

Survey of such plots had indicated that Niab-78 cotton sustained 30 per cent bollworm infestation when sown with Bt cotton where as Niab-78 sown separately in the vicinity sustained only 5-10 per cent spotted bollworm infestation.

Accordingly, in the back drop of these observations and prevalent corruption among the concerned departments of the government responsible for implementation of cotton act, seed act etc. as well as mass illiteracy among the farming community whose majority are financially constrained and fully dependent on the dealers who supply ail inputs on credit it would be a Himalayan blunder to go fast with cultivation of GM crops especially Bt cotton.

This is because any mishap with our cotton crop may prove disastrous for the economy of the country as cotton being its backbone.

So far as success story of GM crops in USA, China, India, UK, Australia, Canada etc. is concerned its ill effects highlighted by scientists, private research organizations, and NG0s should he taken in to account prior to the enactment of Bio-safety protocol by the government.

In this regard, some of the published reports are quoted here.Monsanto introduced GM cotton in China in 1996.1n 2002 GM cotton area in China reached to more than 7.4 million acres.

However, the Managing Institute of Environmental Science, and a cotton research institute under the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, has concluded that Bt cotton caused serious ecological disturbances and as a consequence the claim to productivity efficiencies are fraught with uncertainty.

The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee [GEAF] in India has accorded conditional clearance for the introduction of three Bt cotton hybrids for a period of three years from April 2002.

These Bt seeds are produced and marketed by the Mumbai based seed company, Mahyco in collaboration with the multinational Monsanto for cultivation in the southern and central region of the country.

Reportedly, NG0s and farmers' organizations in India have conducted studies that show the failure of Bt cotton also in the second year of its cultivation. Reply to the queries by the opposition members in the Parliament, the union minister of state for agriculture [India] admitted that the government has received complaints on the failure of Bt cotton, the country's first GM crop developed by Monsanto Mahyco.

He said the government was ready to hold investigation in this regard. The Play Fair Europe, a UK-based NGO, in its research has recently found that the use of GM seed in the agriculture sector has led to an increase in the number of cancer patients significantly in the past decade.

In Indonesia, Agri -Research Station for Tobacco and Fibre of the Department of Agriculture has accepted that Bt cotton yields less than the popular cotton [nontransgenic] variety Kanesia-7.

Another hidden cost of the Bt cotton cultivation is its water requirement that is much more than the traditional varieties. As a matter of fact this observation of Indonesian researchers was found correct as growers in Taluka Nara, district Khairpur, and Rohn in district Sukkur reported two to three extra irrigation for Bt cotton undertaken illegally by them during 2002 and 2003 cotton season.

Suggestions: Despite ban on cultivation of Bt cotton by the agriculture extension, Government of Sindh, cultivation of this very transgenic controversial cotton is in practice.

Since cultivation of Bt cotton is becoming a source of mixture of Bt and non-Bt cotton seed which may be disastrous in the long run, as observed during illegal cultivation of this cotton during 2002 season in the upper Sindh, it is imperative that ban on Bt cotton cultivation is strictly implemented during the next cotton season.