Latest news with #DPP
Business Recorder
an hour ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Demise of an ‘indispensable' department
For decades, the Department of Plant Protection (DPP) was one of Pakistan's most quietly effective institutions. It didn't make headlines, but it made food security possible by fighting desert locust and crop / orchard pests. From overseeing pesticide regulation to conducting aerial locust spraying, this department formed the frontline of Pakistan's battle against pest outbreaks including desert locust that could cripple agriculture and destabilize rural economies. That is, until May 2, 2025, when a presidential ordinance dissolved the DPP and replaced it with a new body—NAFSA, the National Agri-trade and Food Safety Authority. The move, packaged as a leap toward modernization and international compliance, has instead raised serious questions about Pakistan's preparedness to deal with agricultural emergencies. The dissolution of DPP marks the end of a chapter that began before Pakistan even founded. The department's origins stretch back to colonial India, and after independence, it became a formal arm of the federal government. As Pakistan's designated National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO), the DPP operated under international treaties and frameworks like the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC – 1951 revised 1997) and FAO's regional pest control systems including DLCC – desert locust control committee established in 1955 and FAO Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in South-West Asia (SWAC) is the oldest of the three regional commissions within the global locust early warning and prevention system, which was established in 1964. At the helm in the early days was Dr. Taskhir Ahmed, a British-trained entomologist whose innovations—especially in aerial spraying and pesticide formulation—earned international recognition and laid the groundwork for a modern plant protection regime. Under his guidance, Pakistan developed a pioneering aerial wing including many critical research portfolios / schemes which were later on transferred to what would become the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council. Yet despite this proud legacy, the DPP began its slow decline decades ago. Since 1998, it has not had a permanent, qualified Plant Protection Adviser and Director General, originally the position was PPA&D having its own qualification, experience, and fitness. Political appointments and bureaucratic interference replaced technical leadership caused in appointments from PAS, Pakistan Post and Pakistan Custom cadres too. Resultantly, infrastructure decayed, and staff numbers dwindled, key functions like locust surveillance and aerial operations became neglected. By the time the locust crisis of 2019–2020 hit, the department was already struggling. No benefit was accrued, even by a big grant offered by the World Bank of USD 200 million. Although post-crisis reforms were promised; these were never materialized. Instead, the final blow came this year with the creation of NAFSA—a body that, though well-intentioned, has started off 'dangerously incomplete'. NAFSA was created to align Pakistan with modern plant and animal quarantine under Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement viz-a-viz food safety standards, including those set by the WTO and Codex Alimentarius. It replaced outdated legislation from the 1930s and 1970s, and included functions like animal and plant quarantine and pesticides registration too. But two of DPP's most vital operational pillars—desert locust control and aerial pest management—were not absorbed into NAFSA's framework. This is not a technical omission; it is an existential gap. Without a mandate or structure to monitor and respond to pest outbreaks, particularly desert locust, Pakistan has essentially disarmed itself in the face of an environmental as well as recurring threat that knows no borders. The risks are significant. With no operational aerial wing and no active locust division, the country is exposed to future invasions it will be institutionally unequipped to handle. Expertise is being lost as specialists retire or are sidelined. The country risks falling out of compliance with FAO and regional cooperations, jeopardizing its relationships with regional partners like India, Iran, and Oman—a cooperation that is essential for effective cross-border pests / desert locust surveillance. More immediately, any future outbreak of trans-boundary pest could spiral into a national emergency, simply because no federal body will be legally or logistically ready to respond. All of this, ironically, is unfolding in the name of modernization. But modernization without continuity is not progress—it is reinvention without memory. The institutional knowledge built over generations through DPP's field operatives, scientists, and aerial teams being our assets cannot simply be replaced by legislation or an administrative reshuffle. What is needed now is not just a new name, but a coherent structure that blends regulatory reform with operational capacity. The way forward must include the immediate establishment of a Plant Protection Operations Wing under the Ministry of National Food Security & Research. This unit should house the locust control and aerial functions, staffed with trained entomologists, pilots, GIS experts, and pest surveillance officers. Legal support if needed is also critical: a Federal Plant Protection Emergency Act would enable rapid mobilization and coordination across provinces and borders. Pakistan must also reaffirm its commitments to international bodies like FAO and reestablish formal cooperation with neighbouring countries on desert pest control. And in keeping with modernization goals, the aerial wing should be digitized—pivoting toward aircraft / drone-based surveillance and spraying technologies. A dedicated Desert Locust Research and Operations Centre in Balochistan or southern Punjab could serve as the nerve centre for all of these activities, combining real-time data with legacy field intelligence. It is not too late to act. But time is short, and the pests like desert locust won't wait. Pakistan's agricultural resilience now hinges not on its willingness to modernize—but on its ability to do so without forgetting what once made its plant protection system work. Reform must be built upon the legacy, not by erasing it. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
BreakingNews.ie
13 hours ago
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
Convicted rapist (57) jailed for harassing and threatening to kill his teenage partner
A convicted rapist who harassed and threatened to kill his former teenage partner must serve a further three years in prison, a judge has ordered. The 57-year-old man was jailed for 10 years last year after he pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to raping a 16-year-old girl in his home in June 2018. Advertisement That same year, he started a relationship with the 18-year-old victim in this case, whom he met online while selling puppies. He was 33 years older than her and the young woman fell out with her family as they did not approve of the relationship, Tessa White BL, prosecuting, told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. They had a child together in the course of their brief relationship and when it ended, the man harassed the young woman and threatened to kill her on three occasions, the court heard. He also contacted her employer making a false threat, with the woman eventually losing her job. The Dublin man pleaded guilty to one count of harassing the woman on dates between December 18th, 2019 and March 31st, 2020, and three counts of threats to kill on January 11th, 2020. He has 29 previous convictions. He can't be named as he has other matters before the courts. He entered the guilty pleas after his trial got underway last March and these were accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). A charge of coercive control was withdrawn. Advertisement The court heard the woman was working as a healthcare assistant and the man emailed her employer a photo she had previously sent him of an elderly patient with a head wound. The picture was a close-up of the patient's cut forehead and the woman had sent it to the man saying 'poor woman'. However, he falsely alleged to her employer that the woman was mistreating patients. The woman was suspended from her job and eventually fired as a result of the photo being sent to her employer. Michael Hourigan SC, defending, told the court the woman lost her job as a result of the fact that she had sent a photo of a resident, not because the employer believed the false allegation of mistreatment. Sentencing the man on Wednesday, Judge Elma Sheahan noted he was on bail for the rape offence when he engaged in this offence. She said the woman was a young adult while he was a 'mature man' with a significant disparity in age between them. Advertisement She said the man's behaviour had a lasting impact on her life and led to her losing her job which she enjoyed and which was helping to support the man's child. 'The loss of her job was a significant event and there were others which, taken together, were very upsetting and frightening,' Judge Sheahan said. The judge read out texts the man sent the young woman, in which he said he would destroy her career, and that she would have to live with not being able to give their son the life he deserved. The judge noted the defence assertion that the woman lost her job because she had sent a photograph she should not have, but said: 'It can't be seriously suggested she would have lost her job without his nasty efforts to cause her difficulty at work.' The judge handed down a sentence of four years and suspended the final year on a number of conditions. She ordered that the sentence run consecutive to the sentence he is currently serving for rape. His earliest release date for that offence is October 2031. Advertisement The man was also ordered to have no contact with the victim in any capacity from Wednesday's date and for a further five years upon his release from prison. The court heard the man resented the fact the woman had started a new relationship and a 'voluminous' booklet of material he sent to her during the offending period was handed into court by prosecuting counsel. He contacted her by text message, email and social media, often using different names. 'She felt quite scared he used so many different handles to contact her,' Ms White said. In one email thread entitled 'My suicide', the man emailed the woman 25 times in a 24 hour period, the court heard. Advertisement He sent her three emails on January 11th, 2020, threatening to kill her and her new partner, saying: 'I've nothing to live for anymore. Before I go, so will you and that prick' and: 'I'm not going to settle until both you and that prick die.' In a victim impact statement which she read out herself in court, the woman said her relationship with the man meant she lost her family and close friends. She said she struggled with depression and anxiety and required on-going counselling as a result of his actions. She said his threats had affected her day to day life. 'I am constantly looking over my shoulder in case I'm being followed or watched,' she said. Ireland Search begins in Laois as part of Fiona Pender mur... Read More In his plea of mitigation, Mr Hourigan said his client had offered early guilty pleas to the offences, and the trial wouldn't have been necessary if the DPP had accepted the pleas at an earlier stage. He said the man was a binge drinker and someone who had significant difficulties in his life. He lost his wife and youngest child in an accident several years ago and has no contact with his remaining adult children. The man has worked in the past in various jobs, including security, retail and cleaning. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at or visit Rape Crisis Help . Y ou can freephone the Samaritans 24 hours a day for confidential support at 116 123 or email jo@
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Kaimuki residents are calling for ‘monster home' to be torn down
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Kaimuki residents have had it with a monster home at 3615 Sierra Dr. 'It's really just a disguised apartment house with inadequate parking so as a nearby resident I think it really should just be torn down,' one Kaimuki resident said. How can Honolulu get rid of monster homes? 'Clearly from the get go, you could tell it was in violation,' another Kaimuki resident named Kaira said. 'Can it get torn down?' The Department of Planning and Permitting revoked the building permit for 3615 Sierra Dr. three years ago after discrepancies were found with what was being built and the floor plans submitted to DPP, which shut down construction. Then in 2024, an appeal to the building board was also denied. According to DPP, the property owner has since filed building permit applications to comply with the ordinance, which DPP said are under review. No word on how long that will take. 'The owner must pay a triple fee penalty for the permit, and possibly remove any portions of the work that do not comply with the monster homes ordinance,' DPP said. 'They have also suffered losses to time and money spent on the original permit, and the non-use of the current, incomplete structure.'DPP also said it has been cracking down on monster homes thanks to new laws and measures. Since 2022, DPP stated it has revoked 17 building permits. City Council Chair Tommy Waters is also pushing Bill 33, which would make it easier for DPP to enforce the laws and hold violators responsible. Meanwhile, residents are still left living next to this half-constructed monstrosity. They said it's a magnet for illegal activity and an eyesore. 'I don't think you can let these houses just sit there derelict indefinitely,' Kaimuki resident Elaine Evans said. 'Unfortunately this monster home is very visible, that's the problem,' a resident named Daniel added. 'And I got to say it's just ugly.' Check out more news from around Hawaii Honolulu City Council will be discussing Bill 33 at its meeting on May 29. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Time of India
19 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
India's exports set to cross $1 trillion in FY26 on robust global demand, says FIEO
India's total goods and services exports are projected to surge over 21% year-on-year to touch $1 trillion in the fiscal year 2025-26, according to the Federation of Indian Export Organisations ( FIEO ). In 2024-25, the country's exports stood at $824.9 billion. FIEO President S C Ralhan attributed the projected growth to global buyers looking to diversify their sourcing strategies amid ongoing geopolitical and economic uncertainties. 'The free trade agreements, which India is finalising, would also help in pushing the country's outbound shipments,' he noted. For FY26, merchandise exports are expected to rise by 12% to $525-535 billion, up from $437 billion in FY25. Services exports are projected to grow about 20% year-on-year to $465-475 billion, compared to $387 billion last fiscal, PTI reported. Ralhan said that all major sectors are likely to witness robust growth, including electronics, engineering, chemicals, textiles and clothing, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture. Petroleum and gems and jewellery exports are also expected to rebound into positive territory. Export estimates for 2025-26 include $60 billion from electronics and electricals, $40 billion from machinery, $40 billion from chemicals, $30 billion from pharmaceuticals, $70 billion from petroleum products, $23–25 billion from apparel and made-ups, $30–35 billion from gems and jewellery, and $55 billion from agriculture. A key growth driver for the electronics segment will be the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. Ralhan also pointed to rising trade diversification as a catalyst, especially with U.S. buyers increasingly looking beyond China. As evidence of the shift, Apple supplier Foxconn invested $1.48 billion (around Rs 12,800 crore) in its India unit during May 14–19, according to regulatory filings. 'It is not just Apple—many other companies are also looking at India. Trade diversion from China will bring at least an additional $5 billion worth of opportunity,' said Ajay Sahai, Director General and CEO of FIEO. India's ongoing negotiations for free trade agreements with the UK, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), and the European Union (EU) are expected to further support export growth. Additionally, an interim trade deal with the U.S., which may exempt India from reciprocal tariffs, could give Indian exporters a competitive edge, Sahai said. In FY25, the gems and jewellery sector saw exports of $29.8 billion, but the sector has experienced a decline over the past two years due to weakening demand and challenges in sourcing natural diamonds. While the outlook remains strong, Sahai cautioned about emerging headwinds, particularly from non-tariff and technical barriers. A major upcoming challenge is the EU's implementation of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) from January 1, 2026. Initially covering electronics, batteries, textiles, and construction materials, the regulation is set for broader rollout by 2030. The DPP will require detailed digital documentation of a product's life cycle—from raw material sourcing to recycling and disposal—which could significantly increase compliance costs, especially for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). 'These are clearly protectionist measures,' Sahai said, warning that failure to comply could lead to shipment rejections or competitiveness loss in the EU market, which is increasingly focused on sustainability. The DPP follows a series of EU regulations including the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, anti-deforestation rules, and the Eco Design Sustainable Product Regulation, all coming into effect from January 1, 2026. On a positive note, Sahai mentioned that geopolitical disruptions in key trade routes like the Red Sea have subsided, with shipping operations gradually resuming despite recent conflicts in the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas regions.
Hans India
a day ago
- Business
- Hans India
Exports likely to touch $1 trn mark in FY26
New Delhi The Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) on Tuesday said the country is projected to reach the export figure of $1 trillion by the end of this fiscal (FY26). This will constitute merchandise exports at $525-535 billion -- a growth of about 12 per cent from last fiscal -- and services exports at $465-475 billion, a growth of nearly 20 per cent. India's export sector achieved a significant milestone in the fiscal year 2024–25, with total exports reaching a record $824.9 billion, marking a 6.01 per cent increase from the previous year's $778.1 exports surged 13.6 per cent to $387.5 billion in FY25, driven by strong performances in IT, business, financial and travel-related exports reached $437.4 billion, with non-petroleum goods exports hitting a record $374.1 billion, up 6 per cent from the previous year. SC Ralhan, President, FIEO, said that to build upon this momentum and achieve sustained growth in both goods and services exports, certain strategies are recommended. 'Expanding into emerging markets and strengthening trade relations with existing partners can mitigate risks associated with over-reliance on specific regions. Also, shifting focus from raw materials to value-added products can increase export earnings and reduce vulnerability to price fluctuations in global commodity markets,' the FIEO recommended. Negotiating and implementing Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with key partners can facilitate easier market access and reduce trade barriers, while investing in quality infrastructure, reducing logistics costs, and ensuring compliance with international standards will improve the competitiveness of Indian exports. According to FIEO, providing SMEs with access to finance, and market information will enable them to participate more effectively in international global trade landscape in 2025 is increasingly characterised by a resurgence of protectionist policies, marking a significant shift from the liberalisation trends of previous decades. This protectionism manifests through heightened tariffs, non-tariff barriers (NTBs), and strategic trade measures, impacting global commerce and economic exporters will have to ensure full supply chain traceability—something currently lacking in many traditional sectors like textiles, leather and electronics. 'We request the government to create sector-specific task forces to study DPP requirements and build compliance roadmaps and develop a national framework or digital infrastructure that can help exporters generate DPPs efficiently. The government may also provide assistance or grants to MSMEs to adopt traceability and product lifecycle management systems,' said FIEO.
