Pre-Requisite

CHECK LIST FOR CANNABIS LICENSES

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR APPLICANTS:-

An applicant for a license shall:

1. Be a Pakistani citizen or an entity incorporated in Pakistan under the relevant laws. In the case of a foreign investor, a joint venture agreement with a Pakistani entity, holding at least fifty one per cent share, is mandatory;
2. Be registered with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and possess a valid National Tax Number (NTN) and, where applicable, Sales Tax Registration;
3. Not be a declared loan defaulter by any financial institution in Pakistan or abroad;
4. Not be blacklisted by any government or statutory body;
5. Not be a "Fourth Scheduler" under the Anti Terrorism Act 1991.
6. Submit police clearance certificates and an affidavit of non-conviction in any criminal case of moral turpitude for all directors and partners;
7. Provide an undertaking of compliance with the Act, these rules, and any directions issued by the Authority; and
8. Demonstrate the financial and technical capacity to undertake the regulated activity, commensurate with the class of license applied for, including submission of audited accounts or proof of funds.

Note: A licence only for cultivation can be issued to any person/individual and registration as public/private company is not necessarily required.

 

CLASSIFICATION AND SCOPE OF LICENSES

License Code	License Category	Standard Class	Advanced Class	Premium Class
A-1	Industrial Hemp Cultivation	Up to 50 acres	51 to 250 acres	Above 250 acres / Export-oriented
A-2	Medicinal Cannabis Cultivation (Controlled)	Up to 5 acres (canopy)	6 to 25 acres (canopy)	Above 25 acres (canopy) / GACP certified
A-3	Medicinal Cannabis Cultivation (Open Field)	Up to 10 acres	11 to 50 acres	Above 50 acres (exceptional approval only)
B-1	Hemp Processing	Basic fiber processing	Fiber + hurd integrated	Fully automated industrial complex
B-2	Cannabis Extraction	Pilot-scale / solvent-based	Commercial / multi-solvent / CO2	GMP-grade / Export-oriented pharma extraction
B-3	Pharmaceutical Manufacturing	Formulation and packaging	Controlled batch processing	EU-GMP compliant full-scale facility
B-4	Synthetic / Biosynthetic CBD	Laboratory-scale synthesis	Commercial manufacturing	International biotech-grade production
C-1	Research and Development	Academic / pilot research	Applied industrial RandD	Clinical trials and international collaboration
C-2	Laboratory Testing	Potency testing (THC/CBD)	Full contaminant testing	ISO/IEC 17025 accredited reference lab
C-3	Rehabilitation and Medical Inst.	Licensed therapeutic facility	Multi-branch institution	National-level specialized center
D-1	Storage and Warehousing	Secured storage	Climate-controlled warehouse	Bonded, high-security facility
D-2	Transportation and Logistics	Intra-city / regional	Inter-provincial secured fleet	GPS-tracked armored logistics
D-3	Import (Seeds / Genetics)	Limited import authorization	Commercial licensed genetics	Bulk quota-based import regime
D-4	Export License	Single-product export	Multi-product export	Bulk international trade authorization
E-1	Cumulative Operations License	Up to 2 integrated modules	Up to 3 integrated modules	Full vertical integration (cultivation to export)

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COMMON DOCUMENTS FOR ALL LICENSES

Description/Detail of Documents

1. Certificate of Incorporation / Registration (SECP or relevant authority).
2. Memorandum and Articles of Association / Partnership Deed.
3. Board Resolution / Power of Attorney for the authorized signatory
4. CNIC / Passport of all directors, partners, and the authorized signatory
5. Shareholding / Ownership Structure (including details of beneficial ownership).
6. Bank Account Details and statement for the last one year (or proof of funds for new entities).
7. Police Clearance Certificates for all directors and partners (from country of residence).
8. Affidavit of non-conviction in any criminal case, duly notarized
9. Undertaking of Legal Compliance with the Act and these rules
10. Certificate of No Dispute between directors/partners (issued by SECP or notarized).
11. Updated Form A, Form 26, Form 29 (for companies) duly attested by SECP
12. No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the relevant provincial department or local authority for land use, if applicable.
13. NOC from the State Bank of Pakistan (for foreign investment or export/import-related licenses).

 

LICENSE-SPECIFIC DOCUMENTS:

(a) For Cultivation Licenses (A-1, A-2, A-3, A-4):

Description/Detail of Documents

1. Land documents (ownership or valid long-term lease deed).
2. GPS coordinates and GIS mapping overlays of the land parcel.
3. Detailed site plan showing layout, perimeters, and access controls.        
4. Cultivation plan (strain selection, planting schedule, expected yield).        
5. Security plan (including CCTV coverage, lighting, and personnel).        
6. For Medicinal Cannabis: Source of genetics and CBD/THC profile undertaking
7. For Group Farming: Legally binding agreement between group farmers and the nominated focal person.

 

(b) For Processing and Manufacturing Licenses (B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4):

Description/Detail of Documents

1. Facility layout plan and list of machinery/equipment.
2. GMP / GACP compliance plan.
3. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for extraction, manufacturing, and quality control.
4. Waste management and disposal plan.
5. Detailed security plan (including vault storage specifications for B-2, B-3).
6. For B-2/B-3: Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) list and relevant experience of technical staff.  

 

(c) For Research and Development License (C-1):

Description/Detail of Documents 

1. Detailed research protocol or project proposal.
2. Approval from an Institutional Review Board or Ethics Committee (for clinical trials).
3. Qualification and experience of principal investigator and key research staff.

 

(d) For Laboratory License (C-2):

Description/Detail of Documents

1. List of testing equipment and their specifications.
2. Qualification of technical staff.
3. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for testing methods
4. Plan for accreditation (e.g., ISO/IEC 17025).

 

(e) For Storage and Warehousing License (D-1):

Description/Detail of Documents

1. Warehouse layout and specifications (including climate control, if applicable).
2. Security plan (including access control, surveillance, and alarm systems).
3. Inventory management system details

 

(a) For Transportation License (D-2):

Description/Detail of Documents

1. List of vehicles with registration details and GPS tracking specifications.
2. Security plan for transportation (including protocols for armed security, if required).
3. Chain-of-custody and incident reporting protocols.

 

(b) For Import/Export Licenses (D-3, D-4):

Description/Detail of Documents

1. For Import: Details of seed/genetics to be imported, source, and purpose. Quarantine clearance undertaking.
2. For Export: Export plan, details of product, specification sheets. Valid End-User Certificate from the importer, certifying the purpose (medical/industrial/scientific only). Import authorization from the destination country, if required.