ISLAMABAD: A Senate standing committee has called for urgent measures to curb betel nut (supari) smuggling, describing it as Pakistan’s second most profitable illicit trade after Iranian fuel.
The Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology, chaired by Senator Kamil Ali Agha, discussed the smuggling of betel nut and gutka, as well as the health risks associated with soft drinks.
Federal Minister for Science and Technology Nawab Khalid Magsi told the committee that the deteriorating law and order situation in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has made it difficult for officials to perform their duties in border areas.
He claimed that the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) was effectively controlling parts of the border region, facilitating smuggling operations and collecting money in return.
“The BLA is managing our border areas. They are also facilitating smuggling and collecting payments. Until the situation on the ground improves, these issues cannot be resolved,” he said.
The committee was informed that unhealthy and substandard betel nut is linked to oral cancer, liver disease and other illnesses. Officials said billions of rupees worth of betel nut is smuggled into Pakistan each year, while legally imported quantities remain negligible. They also revealed that counterfeit betel nut made from date seeds is being sold in the market.
Magsi said smuggling in Balochistan was taking place openly, with betel nut entering Pakistan through Iran and Afghanistan.
He alleged that the Afghan authorities had allowed smuggling to flourish and claimed that BLA members were collecting money at checkpoints in Khuzdar and Jhal Magsi. He added that legal imports would encourage fair competition among companies.
Senator Nadeem Bhutto remarked that betel nut had become the country’s most profitable smuggling business after Iranian fuel.
Chairman Kamil Ali Agha said a committee formed by the prime minister was examining the betel nut issue and stressed that imported food products should undergo pre-shipment testing.
He also warned about the harmful effects of gutka, saying it was highly addictive and posed serious cancer risks due to fungal contamination.
The secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology told the committee that around 80 percent of gutka available in Pakistan is smuggled, while the remaining 20 percent is also harmful regardless of testing.
The committee also discussed the appointment of the Director General of the Plant Protection Department, with Agha questioning the legality of the appointment and stating that the matter would be taken up separately.
Separately, the committee reviewed Senator Samina Zehri’s bill on soft drinks. Zehri called for mandatory labeling of sugar and caffeine content on energy drinks and soft beverages and urged restrictions on their availability in schools and colleges.
Officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology informed the committee that a 250ml bottle of soft drink contains sugar equivalent to about nine teaspoons.
