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LAHORE - The Lahore High Court has been moved against Pakistan Amended Seed Act, 2015, allegedly for being against the fundamental rights of farmers and for being passed at the behest of US multinational seed manufacturing companies.

Sheraz Zaka, a local lawyer, moved a writ petition yesterday, submitting that the farmers had been made bound through Pakistan Amended Act 2015 to buy seeds from a licensed company or its agent. According to the petitioner, they (farmers) had to do so every time they cultivated a new crop. “This would create a monopoly of companies and make farmers dependent on multinational corporations,” he stated.

Zaka pointed out lacunas in the said law, saying that the conditions required under the impugned Act would lead to increase in prices of agricultural products and a food security threat in future was likely to happen.

The lawyer-petitioner submitted that under the law, farmers would be fined and imprisoned for preserving, selling and exchanging seeds, a tradition that was in vogue for centuries. It was sheer injustice to millions of small and landless farmers whose food insecurity would be aggravated by this law, he maintained.

The European countries had banned genetically modified crops because of their severe adverse impact on environment and Pakistan should also do the same, he stressed.

The petitioner added the law was first presented in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly and later in Punjab but the federal government faced strong resistance from farmers in both provinces but the national assembly passed the impugned law.

“The experience of growing genetically modified (GM) crops, like Bt cotton, would create disaster in the country, which is an evidence of government’s bad intention,” Sheraz Zaka said in his petition, requesting the court to set aside the amended Seed Act of 2015 for being unconstitutional.

Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah would take up the petition tomorrow.

LHC BENCHES ANNOUNCED

Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court constituted 60 single, 25 division and 32 special benches to hear cases during the next week. According to the roaster issued by the LHC registrar, 16 division and 41 single benches will hears cases at the principal seat.